How to fix EndpointSlice not synced, service endpoints missing, churn detected in Kubernetes

KubernetesADVANCEDHIGH

EndpointSlice controller can't sync endpoints due to control plane load or permission issues. Fix by checking controller status, RBAC permissions, and control plane health.

What this error means

EndpointSlices (modern replacement for Endpoints) may not sync when the controller is overloaded or misconfigured, leaving services without traffic targets.

Typical symptoms

EndpointSlices stuck updating
Services missing endpoints
High churn (frequent endpoint changes)
Control plane CPU spiking

Common causes

Control plane under heavy load
Controller doesn't have RBAC permissions
etcd is slow or overloaded
Node changes causing frequent updates

How to fix "EndpointSlice not synced, service endpoints missing, churn detected"

1Check controller status

bash

kubectl get pods -n kube-system | grep endpoint

2Check EndpointSlices

bash

kubectl get endpointslices -n <namespace>

3Verify RBAC permissions

bash

kubectl auth can-i list endpointslices --as=system:serviceaccount:kube-system:endpoint-controller

4Check control plane health

bash

kubectl get nodes
kubectl get apiservice

Advanced notes

Kubernetes 1.33+ deprecates Endpoints API in favor of EndpointSlices.

Related errors

Official resources & further reading

📚Kubernetes Official Documentation
📖
EndpointSlices - Kubernetes Docs(Official Docs)