diff --git a/internal/controller/clientpool/clientpool.go b/internal/controller/clientpool/clientpool.go
index b5b9976b..7f290cf9 100644
--- a/internal/controller/clientpool/clientpool.go
+++ b/internal/controller/clientpool/clientpool.go
@@ -79,6 +79,17 @@ func New(l log.Logger, c runtimeclient.Client) *ClientPool {
 	}
 }
 
+// EvictClient removes the client for the given key from the pool and closes it.
+// Safe to call when the key is not present.
+func (cp *ClientPool) EvictClient(key ClientPoolKey) {
+	cp.mux.Lock()
+	defer cp.mux.Unlock()
+	if info, ok := cp.clients[key]; ok {
+		info.client.Close()
+		delete(cp.clients, key)
+	}
+}
+
 func (cp *ClientPool) GetSDKClient(key ClientPoolKey) (sdkclient.Client, bool) {
 	cp.mux.RLock()
 	defer cp.mux.RUnlock()
diff --git a/internal/controller/clientpool/clientpool_test.go b/internal/controller/clientpool/clientpool_test.go
index b00cf014..53809760 100644
--- a/internal/controller/clientpool/clientpool_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/clientpool/clientpool_test.go
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ type mockSDKClient struct {
 
 	// Used to verify that CheckHealth is not called when API Key auth is used.
 	checkHealthCalled bool
+	closed            bool
 }
 
 func (m *mockSDKClient) CheckHealth(_ context.Context, _ *sdkclient.CheckHealthRequest) (*sdkclient.CheckHealthResponse, error) {
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ func (m *mockSDKClient) CheckHealth(_ context.Context, _ *sdkclient.CheckHealthR
 	return &sdkclient.CheckHealthResponse{}, nil
 }
 
-func (m *mockSDKClient) Close() {}
+func (m *mockSDKClient) Close() { m.closed = true }
 
 // ─── Tests: fetchClientUsingMTLSSecret ────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -355,6 +356,36 @@ func TestDialAndUpsert_NoCredsCallsCheckHealth(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, mock.checkHealthCalled, "CheckHealth must be called for no-credentials auth")
 }
 
+// ─── Tests: EvictClient ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+func TestEvictClient_RemovesAndClosesClient(t *testing.T) {
+	cp := newTestPool()
+	key := ClientPoolKey{
+		HostPort:   "localhost:7233",
+		Namespace:  "default",
+		SecretName: "my-secret",
+		AuthMode:   AuthModeAPIKey,
+	}
+	mock := &mockSDKClient{}
+	cp.SetClientForTesting(key, mock)
+
+	_, ok := cp.GetSDKClient(key)
+	require.True(t, ok, "client should be present before eviction")
+
+	cp.EvictClient(key)
+
+	assert.True(t, mock.closed, "Close should be called on eviction")
+	_, ok = cp.GetSDKClient(key)
+	assert.False(t, ok, "client should be absent after eviction")
+}
+
+func TestEvictClient_NoopWhenKeyAbsent(t *testing.T) {
+	cp := newTestPool()
+	key := ClientPoolKey{HostPort: "localhost:7233", Namespace: "default", AuthMode: AuthModeNoCredentials}
+	// Should not panic when key is not in the pool
+	cp.EvictClient(key)
+}
+
 // ─── Helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 func decodePEMCert(certPEM []byte) (*x509.Certificate, error) {
diff --git a/internal/controller/worker_controller.go b/internal/controller/worker_controller.go
index a544d602..70fcb5ba 100644
--- a/internal/controller/worker_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/worker_controller.go
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/temporalio/temporal-worker-controller/internal/k8s"
 	"github.com/temporalio/temporal-worker-controller/internal/temporal"
 	"go.temporal.io/api/serviceerror"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	grpcstatus "google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 	appsv1 "k8s.io/api/apps/v1"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	apierrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
@@ -182,12 +184,13 @@ func (r *TemporalWorkerDeploymentReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req
 	}
 
 	// Get or update temporal client for connection
-	temporalClient, ok := r.TemporalClientPool.GetSDKClient(clientpool.ClientPoolKey{
+	clientPoolKey := clientpool.ClientPoolKey{
 		HostPort:   temporalConnection.Spec.HostPort,
 		Namespace:  workerDeploy.Spec.WorkerOptions.TemporalNamespace,
 		SecretName: secretName,
 		AuthMode:   authMode,
-	})
+	}
+	temporalClient, ok := r.TemporalClientPool.GetSDKClient(clientPoolKey)
 	if !ok {
 		clientOpts, key, clientAuth, err := r.TemporalClientPool.ParseClientSecret(ctx, secretName, authMode, clientpool.NewClientOptions{
 			K8sNamespace:      workerDeploy.Namespace,
@@ -243,6 +246,9 @@ func (r *TemporalWorkerDeploymentReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req
 		getControllerIdentity(),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
+		if isAccessDeniedErr(err) {
+			r.TemporalClientPool.EvictClient(clientPoolKey)
+		}
 		var rateLimitErr *serviceerror.ResourceExhausted
 		if errors.As(err, &rateLimitErr) {
 			r.recordWarningAndSetBlocked(ctx, &workerDeploy,
@@ -286,6 +292,9 @@ func (r *TemporalWorkerDeploymentReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req
 
 	// Execute the plan, handling any errors
 	if err := r.executePlan(ctx, l, &workerDeploy, temporalClient, plan); err != nil {
+		if isAccessDeniedErr(err) {
+			r.TemporalClientPool.EvictClient(clientPoolKey)
+		}
 		r.recordWarningAndSetBlocked(ctx, &workerDeploy,
 			ReasonPlanExecutionFailed,
 			fmt.Sprintf("Unable to execute reconciliation plan: %v", err),
@@ -525,3 +534,11 @@ func (r *TemporalWorkerDeploymentReconciler) findTWDsUsingConnection(ctx context
 
 	return requests
 }
+
+func isAccessDeniedErr(err error) bool {
+	var permDenied *serviceerror.PermissionDenied
+	if errors.As(err, &permDenied) {
+		return true
+	}
+	return grpcstatus.Code(err) == codes.Unauthenticated
+}