diff -r 967012bebfe0 -r 034b5f1b025c src/luan/host/Https.luan
--- a/src/luan/host/Https.luan	Wed Jan 28 17:42:16 2026 -0700
+++ b/src/luan/host/Https.luan	Wed Jan 28 18:30:32 2026 -0700
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@
 <%
 end
 
-local function reload_nginx(luanhost_dir_str)
+local function reload_nginx(luanhost_dir)
+	local luanhost_dir_str = luanhost_dir.canonical().to_string()
 	local cmd = `%>
 sudo $(which nginx) -t -c "<%=luanhost_dir_str%>/local/nginx.conf" && \
 sudo $(which nginx) -s reload -c "<%=luanhost_dir_str%>/local/nginx.conf";
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@
 	local s = uri("bash:"..cmd).read_text()
 	logger.info("reload_nginx "..s)
 end
+Https.reload_nginx = reload_nginx
 
 local function issue_cert(files, luanhost_dir, dry_run)
 	local luanhost_dir_str = luanhost_dir.canonical().to_string()
@@ -155,8 +157,6 @@
 		local s = uri("bash:"..cmd).read_text()
 		logger.info("move temp output to fullchain.cer\n"..s)
 	end
-
-	reload_nginx(luanhost_dir_str)
 end
 
 
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@
 	files.csr_file.exists() or error "no CSR file, assuming local https cert"
 	if time_now() - files.local_cer_file.last_modified() > renewal_period then
 		issue_cert(files, luanhost_dir, dry_run)
+		reload_nginx(luanhost_dir)
 		return
 	end
 end
@@ -182,6 +183,7 @@
 end
 
 local function do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,nginx_default_conf,dry_run)
+	local needs_reload_nginx = false
 	local files = get_files(domain,site_dir)
 
 	-- luan/host
@@ -238,7 +240,6 @@
 
 					issue_cert(files, luanhost_dir, dry_run)
 
-
 				catch e
 					logger.error("Error setting up ACME: "..e)
 				end_try
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@
 				logger.info("writing nginx conf to "..files.nginx_file.canonical().to_string())
 				local nginx = ` nginx_ssl_conf(domain,files,nginx_default_conf) `
 				files.nginx_file.write(nginx)
-				reload_nginx(luanhost_dir_str)
+				needs_reload_nginx = true
 			end
 		else
 			if not is_local then
@@ -273,10 +274,10 @@
 			for _, file in pairs(files) do
 				file.delete()
 			end
-			reload_nginx(luanhost_dir_str)
+			needs_reload_nginx = true
 		end
 	end
-	--logger.info "done"
+	return needs_reload_nginx
 end
 Https.do_set_https = do_set_https -- for testing
 
@@ -295,7 +296,10 @@
 	local dry_run = false
 
 	if not try_synchronized( function()
-		do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,nginx_default_conf,dry_run)
+		local needs_reload_nginx = do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,nginx_default_conf,dry_run)
+		if needs_reload_nginx then
+			reload_nginx(luanhost_dir)
+		end
 	end, domain..".lock", 0 )() then
 		logger.info("set_https already running for "..domain..", skipping")
 	end