diff --git a/internal/k8s/gatewayclient/gatewayclient.go b/internal/k8s/gatewayclient/gatewayclient.go
index b2c95edf2..424cfd87c 100644
--- a/internal/k8s/gatewayclient/gatewayclient.go
+++ b/internal/k8s/gatewayclient/gatewayclient.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ type Client interface {
 	GetTCPRoutesInNamespace(ctx context.Context, ns string) ([]gateway.TCPRoute, error)
 	GetMeshService(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName) (*apigwv1alpha1.MeshService, error)
 	GetNamespace(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName) (*core.Namespace, error)
+	GetDeployment(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName) (*apps.Deployment, error)
 
 	// finalizer helpers
 
@@ -230,6 +231,17 @@ func (g *gatewayClient) GetService(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName
 	return svc, nil
 }
 
+func (g *gatewayClient) GetDeployment(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName) (*apps.Deployment, error) {
+	depl := &apps.Deployment{}
+	if err := g.Client.Get(ctx, key, depl); err != nil {
+		if k8serrors.IsNotFound(err) {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+		return nil, NewK8sError(err)
+	}
+	return depl, nil
+}
+
 func (g *gatewayClient) GetSecret(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName) (*core.Secret, error) {
 	secret := &core.Secret{}
 	if err := g.Client.Get(ctx, key, secret); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/k8s/gatewayclient/mocks/gatewayclient.go b/internal/k8s/gatewayclient/mocks/gatewayclient.go
index b6bf13f2d..b2c54cdcd 100644
--- a/internal/k8s/gatewayclient/mocks/gatewayclient.go
+++ b/internal/k8s/gatewayclient/mocks/gatewayclient.go
@@ -199,6 +199,21 @@ func (mr *MockClientMockRecorder) GetConfigForGatewayClassName(ctx, name interfa
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "GetConfigForGatewayClassName", reflect.TypeOf((*MockClient)(nil).GetConfigForGatewayClassName), ctx, name)
 }
 
+// GetDeployment mocks base method.
+func (m *MockClient) GetDeployment(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName) (*v1.Deployment, error) {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "GetDeployment", ctx, key)
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(*v1.Deployment)
+	ret1, _ := ret[1].(error)
+	return ret0, ret1
+}
+
+// GetDeployment indicates an expected call of GetDeployment.
+func (mr *MockClientMockRecorder) GetDeployment(ctx, key interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "GetDeployment", reflect.TypeOf((*MockClient)(nil).GetDeployment), ctx, key)
+}
+
 // GetGateway mocks base method.
 func (m *MockClient) GetGateway(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName) (*v1alpha2.Gateway, error) {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
diff --git a/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway.go b/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway.go
index d02c36fcc..053e4a4fb 100644
--- a/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway.go
+++ b/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway.go
@@ -464,7 +464,12 @@ func (g *K8sGateway) ensureDeploymentExists(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	deployment := g.deploymentBuilder.Build()
 	mutated := deployment.DeepCopy()
-	mutated = apigwv1alpha1.MergeDeployment(deployment, mutated)
+
+	currentDeployment, err := g.client.GetDeployment(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Namespace: deployment.Namespace, Name: deployment.Name})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	mutated = apigwv1alpha1.MergeDeployment(deployment, mutated, currentDeployment.Spec.Replicas)
 
 	if updated, err := g.client.CreateOrUpdateDeployment(ctx, mutated, func() error {
 		return g.client.SetControllerOwnership(g.gateway, mutated)
diff --git a/pkg/apis/v1alpha1/types.go b/pkg/apis/v1alpha1/types.go
index 64b598cbc..08f48d91a 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/v1alpha1/types.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/v1alpha1/types.go
@@ -205,10 +205,15 @@ func compareServices(a, b *corev1.Service) bool {
 // MergeDeploymentmerges a gateway deployment a onto b and returns b, overriding all of
 // the fields that we'd normally set for a service deployment. It does not attempt
 // to change the service type
-func MergeDeployment(a, b *appsv1.Deployment) *appsv1.Deployment {
+func MergeDeployment(a, b *appsv1.Deployment, currentReplicas *int32) *appsv1.Deployment {
 	if !compareDeployments(a, b) {
 		b.Spec.Template = a.Spec.Template
-		b.Spec.Replicas = a.Spec.Replicas
+
+		//Dont override if replicas have already been set on deployment
+		//TODO this logic will likely need to be updated as part of CAPIGW-137
+		if currentReplicas == nil {
+			b.Spec.Replicas = a.Spec.Replicas
+		}
 	}
 
 	return b