diff --git a/internal/cmd/helm-operator/run/cmd.go b/internal/cmd/helm-operator/run/cmd.go
index e909d27cb4c..37b5fb0ab2b 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/helm-operator/run/cmd.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/helm-operator/run/cmd.go
@@ -194,11 +194,16 @@ func run(cmd *cobra.Command, f *flags.Flags) {
 	}
 	for _, w := range ws {
 		// Register the controller with the factory.
+		reconcilePeriod := f.ReconcilePeriod.String() // from flag
+		if w.ReconcilePeriod != "" {
+			reconcilePeriod = w.ReconcilePeriod // watches takes precedence
+		}
+
 		err := controller.Add(mgr, controller.WatchOptions{
 			Namespace:               namespace,
 			GVK:                     w.GroupVersionKind,
 			ManagerFactory:          release.NewManagerFactory(mgr, w.ChartDir),
-			ReconcilePeriod:         f.ReconcilePeriod,
+			ReconcilePeriod:         reconcilePeriod,
 			WatchDependentResources: *w.WatchDependentResources,
 			OverrideValues:          w.OverrideValues,
 			MaxConcurrentReconciles: f.MaxConcurrentReconciles,
diff --git a/internal/helm/controller/controller.go b/internal/helm/controller/controller.go
index 7b4e44ba303..4c8803733b4 100644
--- a/internal/helm/controller/controller.go
+++ b/internal/helm/controller/controller.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ type WatchOptions struct {
 	Namespace               string
 	GVK                     schema.GroupVersionKind
 	ManagerFactory          release.ManagerFactory
-	ReconcilePeriod         time.Duration
+	ReconcilePeriod         string
 	WatchDependentResources bool
 	OverrideValues          map[string]string
 	MaxConcurrentReconciles int
@@ -59,13 +59,17 @@ type WatchOptions struct {
 // Add creates a new helm operator controller and adds it to the manager
 func Add(mgr manager.Manager, options WatchOptions) error {
 	controllerName := fmt.Sprintf("%v-controller", strings.ToLower(options.GVK.Kind))
+	duration, err := time.ParseDuration(options.ReconcilePeriod)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	r := &HelmOperatorReconciler{
 		Client:          mgr.GetClient(),
 		EventRecorder:   mgr.GetEventRecorderFor(controllerName),
 		GVK:             options.GVK,
 		ManagerFactory:  options.ManagerFactory,
-		ReconcilePeriod: options.ReconcilePeriod,
+		ReconcilePeriod: duration,
 		OverrideValues:  options.OverrideValues,
 	}
 
@@ -104,7 +108,7 @@ func Add(mgr manager.Manager, options WatchOptions) error {
 	}
 
 	log.Info("Watching resource", "apiVersion", options.GVK.GroupVersion(), "kind",
-		options.GVK.Kind, "namespace", options.Namespace, "reconcilePeriod", options.ReconcilePeriod.String())
+		options.GVK.Kind, "namespace", options.Namespace, "reconcilePeriod", duration)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/helm/watches/watches.go b/internal/helm/watches/watches.go
index e2f43a1d55c..f34de713860 100644
--- a/internal/helm/watches/watches.go
+++ b/internal/helm/watches/watches.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ type Watch struct {
 	WatchDependentResources *bool                `json:"watchDependentResources,omitempty"`
 	OverrideValues          map[string]string    `json:"overrideValues,omitempty"`
 	Selector                metav1.LabelSelector `json:"selector"`
+	ReconcilePeriod         string               `json:"reconcilePeriod"`
 }
 
 // UnmarshalYAML unmarshals an individual watch from the Helm watches.yaml file