diff --git a/storeutils/host/store.go b/storeutils/host/store.go
index 20169e4..fad9df9 100644
--- a/storeutils/host/store.go
+++ b/storeutils/host/store.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	"github.com/ironcore-dev/provider-utils/apiutils/api"
 	"github.com/ironcore-dev/provider-utils/storeutils/store"
 	utilssync "github.com/ironcore-dev/provider-utils/storeutils/sync"
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ type Options[E api.Object] struct {
 	CreateStrategy  CreateStrategy[E]
 	WatchBufferSize int
 	FieldIndexers   map[string]store.IndexerFunc[E]
+	Log             logr.Logger
 }
 
 func (o *Options[E]) Defaults() {
@@ -54,6 +56,7 @@ func NewStore[E api.Object](opts Options[E]) (*Store[E], error) {
 	}
 	return &Store[E]{
 		dir: opts.Dir,
+		log: opts.Log,
 
 		idMu: utilssync.NewMutexMap[string](),
 
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ func NewStore[E api.Object](opts Options[E]) (*Store[E], error) {
 
 type Store[E api.Object] struct {
 	dir string
+	log logr.Logger
 
 	idMu *utilssync.MutexMap[string]
 
@@ -270,7 +274,7 @@ func (s *Store[E]) List(ctx context.Context, opts ...store.ListOption) ([]E, err
 	return objs, nil
 }
 
-func (s *Store[E]) Watch(_ context.Context, opts ...store.ListOption) (store.Watch[E], error) {
+func (s *Store[E]) Watch(ctx context.Context, opts ...store.ListOption) (store.Watch[E], error) {
 	listOpts := &store.ListOptions{}
 	for _, opt := range opts {
 		opt.ApplyToList(listOpts)
@@ -280,6 +284,20 @@ func (s *Store[E]) Watch(_ context.Context, opts ...store.ListOption) (store.Wat
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// List runs before acquiring watchesMu to avoid a deadlock: List→Get acquires
+	// idMu, while mutations hold idMu before calling enqueue→watchesMu.RLock.
+	// This means a mutation between List and watches.Insert may be missed in
+	// members, but we accept that narrow gap.
+	existing, err := s.List(ctx, opts...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to list existing objects for watch: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	members := sets.New[string]()
+	for _, obj := range existing {
+		members.Insert(obj.GetID())
+	}
+
 	s.watchesMu.Lock()
 	defer s.watchesMu.Unlock()
 
@@ -287,7 +305,7 @@ func (s *Store[E]) Watch(_ context.Context, opts ...store.ListOption) (store.Wat
 		store:   s,
 		events:  make(chan store.WatchEvent[E], s.watchBufferSize),
 		opts:    *listOpts,
-		members: sets.New[string](),
+		members: members,
 	}
 
 	s.watches.Insert(w)
@@ -346,23 +364,37 @@ func (s *Store[E]) watchHandlers() []*watch[E] {
 	return s.watches.UnsortedList()
 }
 
-func (s *Store[E]) send(w *watch[E], evt store.WatchEvent[E]) {
-	select {
-	case w.events <- evt:
-	default:
-	}
-}
-
 func (s *Store[E]) enqueue(evt store.WatchEvent[E]) {
 	id := evt.Object.GetID()
 	for _, handler := range s.watchHandlers() {
-		if handler.matches(evt.Object) {
+		var toSend store.WatchEvent[E]
+
+		handler.membersMu.Lock()
+		switch {
+		case evt.Type == store.WatchEventTypeDeleted:
+			// Object was deleted; forward only if we were tracking it.
+			if handler.members.Has(id) {
+				handler.members.Delete(id)
+				toSend = evt
+			}
+		case handler.matches(evt.Object):
+			// Object matches the filter; track it and forward the event.
 			handler.members.Insert(id)
-			s.send(handler, evt)
-		} else if handler.members.Has(id) {
-			// Object transitioned out of this watch's scope. Send deleted event.
+			toSend = evt
+		case handler.members.Has(id):
+			// Object no longer matches the filter. Send deleted event.
 			handler.members.Delete(id)
-			s.send(handler, store.WatchEvent[E]{Type: store.WatchEventTypeDeleted, Object: evt.Object})
+			toSend = store.WatchEvent[E]{Type: store.WatchEventTypeDeleted, Object: evt.Object}
+		}
+		handler.membersMu.Unlock()
+
+		if toSend.Type != "" {
+			select {
+			case handler.events <- toSend:
+			default:
+				// TODO: switch to `ctx` to backpressure, if channel size is not enough
+				s.log.Info("Dropping watch event, due to full channel", "event", evt)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/storeutils/host/store_test.go b/storeutils/host/store_test.go
index 8db5e61..069239f 100644
--- a/storeutils/host/store_test.go
+++ b/storeutils/host/store_test.go
@@ -210,5 +210,95 @@ var _ = Describe("Store", func() {
 			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
 			Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring("unindexed field"))
 		})
+
+		It("should receive a deleted event for an object that existed before the watch was created", func(ctx SpecContext) {
+			obj, err := dummyStore.Create(ctx, &Dummy{Metadata: api.Metadata{ID: "preexisting-deleted"}})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+			watch, err := dummyStore.Watch(ctx)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			DeferCleanup(watch.Stop)
+
+			Expect(dummyStore.Delete(ctx, obj.GetID())).To(Succeed())
+
+			Eventually(watch.Events()).Should(Receive(HaveField("Type", store.WatchEventTypeDeleted)))
+		})
+
+		It("should emit a deleted event when a tracked object transitions out of scope", func(ctx SpecContext) {
+			watch, err := dummyStore.Watch(ctx, store.MatchingLabels{"app": "watched"})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			DeferCleanup(watch.Stop)
+
+			obj := createDummy(ctx, dummyStore, "transitions-out", map[string]string{"app": "watched"}, "")
+			Eventually(watch.Events()).Should(Receive(HaveField("Type", store.WatchEventTypeCreated)))
+
+			obj.Labels["app"] = "other"
+			_, err = dummyStore.Update(ctx, obj)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+			Eventually(watch.Events()).Should(Receive(HaveField("Type", store.WatchEventTypeDeleted)))
+		})
+
+		It("should not forward a delete event for an object that was never tracked", func(ctx SpecContext) {
+			watch, err := dummyStore.Watch(ctx, store.MatchingLabels{"app": "watched"})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			DeferCleanup(watch.Stop)
+
+			obj, err := dummyStore.Create(ctx, &Dummy{
+				Metadata: api.Metadata{ID: "delete-untracked", Labels: map[string]string{"app": "other"}},
+			})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Consistently(watch.Events()).ShouldNot(Receive())
+
+			Expect(dummyStore.Delete(ctx, obj.GetID())).To(Succeed())
+			Consistently(watch.Events()).ShouldNot(Receive())
+		})
+
+		It("should forward a delete event for a tracked object", func(ctx SpecContext) {
+			watch, err := dummyStore.Watch(ctx, store.MatchingLabels{"app": "watched"})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			DeferCleanup(watch.Stop)
+
+			obj, err := dummyStore.Create(ctx, &Dummy{
+				Metadata: api.Metadata{ID: "delete-tracked", Labels: map[string]string{"app": "watched"}},
+			})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Eventually(watch.Events()).Should(Receive(HaveField("Type", store.WatchEventTypeCreated)))
+
+			Expect(dummyStore.Delete(ctx, obj.GetID())).To(Succeed())
+			Eventually(watch.Events()).Should(Receive(HaveField("Type", store.WatchEventTypeDeleted)))
+		})
+
+		It("should receive events when an object transitions into scope", func(ctx SpecContext) {
+			watch, err := dummyStore.Watch(ctx, store.MatchingLabels{"app": "watched"})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			DeferCleanup(watch.Stop)
+
+			obj := createDummy(ctx, dummyStore, "transitions-in", map[string]string{"app": "other"}, "")
+			Consistently(watch.Events()).ShouldNot(Receive())
+
+			obj.Labels["app"] = "watched"
+			updated, err := dummyStore.Update(ctx, obj)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+			Eventually(watch.Events()).Should(Receive(Equal(
+				store.WatchEvent[*Dummy]{Type: store.WatchEventTypeUpdated, Object: updated},
+			)))
+		})
+
+		It("should emit a deleted event when a pre-existing object transitions out of scope", func(ctx SpecContext) {
+			obj := createDummy(ctx, dummyStore, "preexisting-transitions-out", map[string]string{"app": "watched"}, "")
+
+			watch, err := dummyStore.Watch(ctx, store.MatchingLabels{"app": "watched"})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			DeferCleanup(watch.Stop)
+
+			obj.Labels["app"] = "other"
+			_, err = dummyStore.Update(ctx, obj)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+			Eventually(watch.Events()).Should(Receive(HaveField("Type", store.WatchEventTypeDeleted)))
+			Consistently(watch.Events()).ShouldNot(Receive())
+		})
 	})
 })
diff --git a/storeutils/host/watch.go b/storeutils/host/watch.go
index ade8dc4..fba14e3 100644
--- a/storeutils/host/watch.go
+++ b/storeutils/host/watch.go
@@ -4,16 +4,19 @@
 package host
 
 import (
+	"sync"
+
 	"github.com/ironcore-dev/provider-utils/apiutils/api"
 	"github.com/ironcore-dev/provider-utils/storeutils/store"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 )
 
 type watch[E api.Object] struct {
-	store   *Store[E]
-	events  chan store.WatchEvent[E]
-	opts    store.ListOptions
-	members sets.Set[string]
+	store     *Store[E]
+	events    chan store.WatchEvent[E]
+	opts      store.ListOptions
+	membersMu sync.Mutex
+	members   sets.Set[string]
 }
 
 func (w *watch[E]) matches(obj E) bool {