diff --git a/configuration.go b/configuration.go
index c4046d9..d439c1f 100644
--- a/configuration.go
+++ b/configuration.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
@@ -48,19 +49,28 @@ func WatchConfiguration(path string, callback func(*Configuration)) (func(), err
 	done := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
 		defer watcher.Close()
+		// A writer that truncates before it writes leaves an empty or
+		// partial file between its events, and empty YAML loads as a
+		// valid zero-value configuration. Loading on a short delay
+		// after the last event reads the final content instead of the
+		// window in between.
+		var reload <-chan time.Time
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-done:
 				return
 			case event := <-watcher.Events:
 				if event.Has(fsnotify.Write) || event.Has(fsnotify.Create) {
-					cfg, err := LoadConfiguration(path)
-					if err != nil {
-						log.Printf("reloading configuration: %v", err)
-						continue
-					}
-					callback(cfg)
+					reload = time.After(100 * time.Millisecond)
 				}
+			case <-reload:
+				reload = nil
+				cfg, err := LoadConfiguration(path)
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Printf("reloading configuration: %v", err)
+					continue
+				}
+				callback(cfg)
 			}
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/configuration_test.go b/configuration_test.go
index 6ad5c62..e89258b 100644
--- a/configuration_test.go
+++ b/configuration_test.go
@@ -228,6 +228,43 @@ paths:
 	}
 }
 
+func TestWatchConfiguration_ignoresTruncationBeforeWrite(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "wicket.yaml")
+	os.WriteFile(path, []byte(`
+paths:
+  test/path:
+    subscribe_secret: "original"
+`), 0644)
+
+	reloaded := make(chan *Configuration, 1)
+	stop, err := WatchConfiguration(path, func(cfg *Configuration) {
+		reloaded <- cfg
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer stop()
+
+	// A writer that truncates before it writes leaves an empty file
+	// between the two events. The pause lets the truncation's event
+	// arrive on its own, the way a slow writer would.
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	f.Truncate(0)
+	time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+	f.Write([]byte("not: valid: yaml: [[["))
+	f.Close()
+
+	select {
+	case <-reloaded:
+		t.Fatal("callback should not be called for a half-written file")
+	case <-time.After(500 * time.Millisecond):
+	}
+}
+
 func TestWatchConfiguration_errorOnMissingFile(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err := WatchConfiguration("/nonexistent/wicket.yaml", func(cfg *Configuration) {})
 	if err == nil {