diff --git a/config/unicorn_launcher b/config/unicorn_launcher
index b2eb9b8ac8e..8ad112065c2 100755
--- a/config/unicorn_launcher
+++ b/config/unicorn_launcher
@@ -15,9 +15,20 @@ function on_reload()
 {
   echo "Reloading unicorn"
   kill -s USR2 $UNICORN_PID
-  sleep 10
+  unset NEW_UNICORN_PID
+
+  while [ -z "$NEW_UNICORN_PID" ]; do
+    NEW_UNICORN_PID=`ps -f --ppid $UNICORN_PID | grep 'unicorn master' | grep -v old | grep -v worker | awk '{ print $2 }'`
+    echo "Waiting for new unicorn master pid... $NEW_UNICORN_PID"
+    sleep 1
+  done
+
+  while [ -z `ps -f --ppid $NEW_UNICORN_PID | grep worker | head -1 | awk '{ print $2 }'` ]; do
+    echo "Waiting for new unicorn workers to start up..."
+    sleep 1
+  done
+
   curl $LOCAL_WEB &> /dev/null
-  NEW_UNICORN_PID=`ps -f --ppid $UNICORN_PID | grep unicorn | grep -v worker | awk '{ print $2 }'`
   kill -s QUIT $UNICORN_PID
   echo "Old pid is: $UNICORN_PID New pid is: $NEW_UNICORN_PID"
   UNICORN_PID=$NEW_UNICORN_PID