diff --git a/lib/promscrape/discovery/kubernetes/api_watcher.go b/lib/promscrape/discovery/kubernetes/api_watcher.go
index fe9fb071d..92a9a6cd6 100644
--- a/lib/promscrape/discovery/kubernetes/api_watcher.go
+++ b/lib/promscrape/discovery/kubernetes/api_watcher.go
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ func newAPIWatcher(apiServer string, ac *promauth.Config, sdc *SDConfig, swcFunc
 
 func (aw *apiWatcher) mustStart() {
 	aw.gw.startWatchersForRole(aw.role, aw)
+	if aw.role == "endpoints" || aw.role == "endpointslices" {
+		// endpoints and endpointslices watchers query pod and service objects. So start watchers for these roles as well.
+		aw.gw.startWatchersForRole("pod", nil)
+		aw.gw.startWatchersForRole("service", nil)
+	}
 }
 
 func (aw *apiWatcher) mustStop() {
@@ -280,7 +285,6 @@ func (gw *groupWatcher) getObjectByRole(role, namespace, name string) object {
 
 func (gw *groupWatcher) getCachedObjectByRole(role, namespace, name string) object {
 	key := namespace + "/" + name
-	gw.startWatchersForRole(role, nil)
 	uws := gw.getURLWatchers()
 	for _, uw := range uws {
 		if uw.role != role {
@@ -309,9 +313,6 @@ func (gw *groupWatcher) refreshEndpointsLabels(namespace, key string) {
 }
 
 func (gw *groupWatcher) refreshObjectLabels(role, namespace, key string) {
-	// There is no need in starting url watcher for the given role,
-	// since there is no (namespace, key) object yet for this role.
-	// gw.startWatchersForRole(role, nil)
 	uws := gw.getURLWatchers()
 	for _, uw := range uws {
 		if uw.role != role {
@@ -470,6 +471,10 @@ func (uw *urlWatcher) subscribeAPIWatcher(aw *apiWatcher) {
 
 func (uw *urlWatcher) registerPendingAPIWatchers() {
 	uw.mu.Lock()
+	if len(uw.awsPending) == 0 {
+		uw.mu.Unlock()
+		return
+	}
 	awsPending := make([]*apiWatcher, 0, len(uw.awsPending))
 	for aw := range uw.awsPending {
 		awsPending = append(awsPending, aw)