diff --git a/examples/configmapgen_controller.rs b/examples/configmapgen_controller.rs
index 18e9f96bc..9d2de5d5b 100644
--- a/examples/configmapgen_controller.rs
+++ b/examples/configmapgen_controller.rs
@@ -73,7 +73,11 @@ async fn reconcile(generator: Arc<ConfigMapGenerator>, ctx: Arc<Data>) -> Result
 }
 
 /// The controller triggers this on reconcile errors
-fn error_policy(_object: Arc<ConfigMapGenerator>, _error: &Error, _ctx: Arc<Data>) -> Action {
+fn error_policy(_object: Arc<ConfigMapGenerator>, error: &Error, _ctx: Arc<Data>) -> Action {
+    match error {
+        Error::ConfigMapCreationFailed(e) => warn!("cf creation failed: {e:?}"),
+        Error::MissingObjectKey(s) => warn!("missing key {s}"),
+    }
     Action::requeue(Duration::from_secs(1))
 }
 
diff --git a/kube-runtime/src/controller/mod.rs b/kube-runtime/src/controller/mod.rs
index 409cd89e1..fa48993c3 100644
--- a/kube-runtime/src/controller/mod.rs
+++ b/kube-runtime/src/controller/mod.rs
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ pub type RunnerError = runner::Error<reflector::store::WriterDropped>;
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum Error<ReconcilerErr: 'static, QueueErr: 'static> {
     #[error("tried to reconcile object {0} that was not found in local store")]
-    ObjectNotFound(ObjectRef<DynamicObject>),
+    ObjectNotFound(Box<ObjectRef<DynamicObject>>),
     #[error("reconciler for object {1} failed")]
-    ReconcilerFailed(#[source] ReconcilerErr, ObjectRef<DynamicObject>),
+    ReconcilerFailed(#[source] ReconcilerErr, Box<ObjectRef<DynamicObject>>),
     #[error("event queue error")]
     QueueError(#[source] QueueErr),
     #[error("runner error")]
@@ -332,7 +332,6 @@ const APPLIER_REQUEUE_BUF_SIZE: usize = 100;
 /// (such as triggering from arbitrary [`Stream`]s), at the cost of being a bit more verbose.
 #[allow(clippy::needless_pass_by_value)]
 #[allow(clippy::type_complexity)]
-#[allow(clippy::result_large_err)] // see #1880 as an alt; https://github.com/kube-rs/kube/pull/1880
 pub fn applier<K, QueueStream, ReconcilerFut, Ctx>(
     mut reconciler: impl FnMut(Arc<K>, Arc<Ctx>) -> ReconcilerFut,
     error_policy: impl Fn(Arc<K>, &ReconcilerFut::Error, Arc<Ctx>) -> Action,
@@ -412,8 +411,10 @@ where
                             .instrument(reconciler_span)
                             .left_future()
                         }
-                        None => std::future::ready(Err(Error::ObjectNotFound(request.obj_ref.erase())))
-                            .right_future(),
+                        None => {
+                            std::future::ready(Err(Error::ObjectNotFound(Box::new(request.obj_ref.erase()))))
+                                .right_future()
+                        }
                     }
                 },
             )
@@ -432,7 +433,7 @@ where
     .and_then(move |(obj_ref, reconciler_result)| async move {
         match reconciler_result {
             Ok(action) => Ok((obj_ref, action)),
-            Err(err) => Err(Error::ReconcilerFailed(err, obj_ref.erase())),
+            Err(err) => Err(Error::ReconcilerFailed(err, Box::new(obj_ref.erase()))),
         }
     })
     .on_complete(async { tracing::debug!("applier terminated") })