diff --git a/lib/promscrape/discovery/kubernetes/api_watcher.go b/lib/promscrape/discovery/kubernetes/api_watcher.go
index 420af9ff8..10066dea6 100644
--- a/lib/promscrape/discovery/kubernetes/api_watcher.go
+++ b/lib/promscrape/discovery/kubernetes/api_watcher.go
@@ -155,12 +155,12 @@ func (aw *apiWatcher) startWatcherForURL(role, apiURL string, parseObject parseO
 
 	uw.watchersCount.Inc()
 	uw.watchersCreated.Inc()
-	resourceVersion := uw.reloadObjects()
+	uw.reloadObjects()
 	aw.wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
 		defer aw.wg.Done()
 		logger.Infof("started watcher for %q", apiURL)
-		uw.watchForUpdates(resourceVersion)
+		uw.watchForUpdates()
 		logger.Infof("stopped watcher for %q", apiURL)
 		uw.objectsByKey.decRef()
 
@@ -205,9 +205,10 @@ type urlWatcher struct {
 	// objectsByKey contains the latest state for objects obtained from apiURL
 	objectsByKey *objectsMap
 
-	// mu protects swosByKey
-	mu        sync.Mutex
-	swosByKey map[string][]interface{}
+	// mu protects swosByKey and resourceVersion
+	mu              sync.Mutex
+	swosByKey       map[string][]interface{}
+	resourceVersion string
 
 	// the parent apiWatcher
 	aw *apiWatcher
@@ -236,8 +237,38 @@ func (aw *apiWatcher) newURLWatcher(role, apiURL string, parseObject parseObject
 	}
 }
 
+// Limit the concurrency for per-role objects reloading to 1.
+//
+// This should reduce memory usage when big number of watchers simultaneously receive an update for objects of the same role.
+var reloadObjectsLocksByRole = map[string]*sync.Mutex{
+	"node":           {},
+	"pod":            {},
+	"service":        {},
+	"endpoints":      {},
+	"endpointslices": {},
+	"ingress":        {},
+}
+
+func (uw *urlWatcher) resetResourceVersion() {
+	uw.mu.Lock()
+	uw.resourceVersion = ""
+	uw.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
 // reloadObjects reloads objects to the latest state and returns resourceVersion for the latest state.
 func (uw *urlWatcher) reloadObjects() string {
+	lock := reloadObjectsLocksByRole[uw.role]
+	lock.Lock()
+	defer lock.Unlock()
+
+	uw.mu.Lock()
+	resourceVersion := uw.resourceVersion
+	uw.mu.Unlock()
+	if resourceVersion != "" {
+		// Fast path - objects have been already reloaded by concurrent goroutines.
+		return resourceVersion
+	}
+
 	aw := uw.aw
 	requestURL := uw.apiURL
 	resp, err := aw.doRequest(requestURL)
@@ -261,7 +292,7 @@ func (uw *urlWatcher) reloadObjects() string {
 		return ""
 	}
 	uw.objectsByKey.reload(objectsByKey)
-	swosByKey := make(map[string][]interface{}, len(objectsByKey))
+	swosByKey := make(map[string][]interface{})
 	for k, o := range objectsByKey {
 		labels := o.getTargetLabels(aw)
 		swos := getScrapeWorkObjectsForLabels(aw.swcFunc, labels)
@@ -271,7 +302,9 @@ func (uw *urlWatcher) reloadObjects() string {
 	}
 	uw.mu.Lock()
 	uw.swosByKey = swosByKey
+	uw.resourceVersion = metadata.ResourceVersion
 	uw.mu.Unlock()
+
 	return metadata.ResourceVersion
 }
 
@@ -287,10 +320,10 @@ func getScrapeWorkObjectsForLabels(swcFunc ScrapeWorkConstructorFunc, labelss []
 	return swos
 }
 
-// watchForUpdates watches for object updates starting from resourceVersion and updates the corresponding objects to the latest state.
+// watchForUpdates watches for object updates starting from uw.resourceVersion and updates the corresponding objects to the latest state.
 //
 // See https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/using-api/api-concepts/#efficient-detection-of-changes
-func (uw *urlWatcher) watchForUpdates(resourceVersion string) {
+func (uw *urlWatcher) watchForUpdates() {
 	aw := uw.aw
 	backoffDelay := time.Second
 	maxBackoffDelay := 30 * time.Second
@@ -312,6 +345,7 @@ func (uw *urlWatcher) watchForUpdates(resourceVersion string) {
 		if aw.needStop() {
 			return
 		}
+		resourceVersion := uw.reloadObjects()
 		requestURL := apiURL
 		if resourceVersion != "" {
 			requestURL += "&resourceVersion=" + url.QueryEscape(resourceVersion)
@@ -323,7 +357,7 @@ func (uw *urlWatcher) watchForUpdates(resourceVersion string) {
 			}
 			logger.Errorf("error when performing a request to %q: %s", requestURL, err)
 			backoffSleep()
-			resourceVersion = uw.reloadObjects()
+			uw.resetResourceVersion()
 			continue
 		}
 		if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
@@ -336,7 +370,7 @@ func (uw *urlWatcher) watchForUpdates(resourceVersion string) {
 			} else {
 				backoffSleep()
 			}
-			resourceVersion = uw.reloadObjects()
+			uw.resetResourceVersion()
 			continue
 		}
 		backoffDelay = time.Second
@@ -350,7 +384,7 @@ func (uw *urlWatcher) watchForUpdates(resourceVersion string) {
 				logger.Errorf("error when reading WatchEvent stream from %q: %s", requestURL, err)
 			}
 			backoffSleep()
-			resourceVersion = uw.reloadObjects()
+			uw.resetResourceVersion()
 			continue
 		}
 	}