diff --git a/lsfg-vk-common/src/configuration/config.cpp b/lsfg-vk-common/src/configuration/config.cpp
index a3c44e8..f9c380e 100644
--- a/lsfg-vk-common/src/configuration/config.cpp
+++ b/lsfg-vk-common/src/configuration/config.cpp
@@ -287,9 +287,9 @@ bool WatchedConfig::update() {
     const auto now = std::filesystem::last_write_time(this->path);
     if (now == this->last_timestamp)
         return false;
+    this->last_timestamp = now;
 
     ConfigFile new_config{this->path};
-    this->last_timestamp = now;
     this->configFile = std::move(new_config);
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/entrypoint.cpp b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/entrypoint.cpp
index abc852a..8d9a51c 100644
--- a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/entrypoint.cpp
+++ b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/entrypoint.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "lsfg-vk-common/helpers/errors.hpp"
 #include "lsfg-vk-common/helpers/pointers.hpp"
 #include "lsfg-vk-common/vulkan/vulkan.hpp"
+#include "swapchain.hpp"
 
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ namespace {
 
         std::unordered_map<VkDevice, vk::Vulkan> devices;
         std::unordered_map<VkSwapchainKHR, ls::R<vk::Vulkan>> swapchains;
+        std::unordered_map<VkSwapchainKHR, SwapchainInfo> swapchainInfos;
     }* instance_info;
 
     // create instance
@@ -314,14 +316,16 @@ namespace {
             if (res != VK_SUCCESS)
                 throw ls::vulkan_error(res, "vkGetSwapchainImagesKHR() failed");
 
-            // create lsfg-vk swapchain
-            layer_info->root.createSwapchainContext(it->second, *swapchain, {
+            auto& info = instance_info->swapchainInfos.emplace(*swapchain, SwapchainInfo {
                 .images = std::move(swapchainImages),
                 .format = newInfo.imageFormat,
                 .colorSpace = newInfo.imageColorSpace,
                 .extent = newInfo.imageExtent,
                 .presentMode = newInfo.presentMode
-            });
+            }).first->second;
+
+            // create lsfg-vk swapchain
+            layer_info->root.createSwapchainContext(it->second, *swapchain, info);
 
             instance_info->swapchains.emplace(*swapchain,
                 ls::R<vk::Vulkan>(it->second));
@@ -343,6 +347,30 @@ namespace {
 #pragma clang diagnostic ignored "-Wunsafe-buffer-usage"
         VkResult result = VK_SUCCESS;
 
+        // ensure layer config is up to date
+        bool reload{};
+        try {
+            reload = layer_info->root.update();
+        } catch (const std::exception&) {
+            reload = false; // ignore parse errors
+        }
+
+        if (reload) {
+            try {
+                for (const auto& [swapchain, vk] : instance_info->swapchains) {
+                    auto& info = instance_info->swapchainInfos.at(swapchain);
+
+                    layer_info->root.removeSwapchainContext(swapchain);
+                    layer_info->root.createSwapchainContext(vk, swapchain, info);
+                }
+
+                std::cerr << "lsfg-vk: updated lsfg-vk configuration\n";
+            } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+                std::cerr << "lsfg-vk: something went wrong during lsfg-vk configuration update:\n";
+                std::cerr << "- " << e.what() << '\n';
+            }
+        }
+
         // present each swapchain
         for (size_t i = 0; i < info->swapchainCount; i++) {
             const auto& swapchain = info->pSwapchains[i]; // NOLINT (array index)
diff --git a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/instance.cpp b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/instance.cpp
index 3a3c5cb..c22d630 100644
--- a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/instance.cpp
+++ b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/instance.cpp
@@ -107,8 +107,17 @@ Root::Root() {
     }
 }
 
-void Root::update() {
-    this->config.update();
+bool Root::update() {
+    if (!this->config.update())
+        return false;
+
+    const auto& profile = findProfile(this->config.get(), ls::identify());
+    if (profile.has_value())
+        this->active_profile = profile->second;
+    else
+        this->active_profile = std::nullopt;
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 void Root::modifyInstanceCreateInfo(VkInstanceCreateInfo& createInfo,
diff --git a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/instance.hpp b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/instance.hpp
index 0c2ed00..72eb7a6 100644
--- a/lsfg-vk-layer/src/instance.hpp
+++ b/lsfg-vk-layer/src/instance.hpp
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ namespace lsfgvk::layer {
         [[nodiscard]] bool active() const { return this->active_profile.has_value(); }
 
         /// ensure the layer is up-to-date
-        void update();
+        /// @return true if the configuration was updated
+        bool update();
 
         /// modify instance create info
         /// @param createInfo original create info