diff --git a/config/components/alerts/reconcile-storm.yaml b/config/components/alerts/reconcile-storm.yaml
index d158ab66..311b07aa 100644
--- a/config/components/alerts/reconcile-storm.yaml
+++ b/config/components/alerts/reconcile-storm.yaml
@@ -15,12 +15,13 @@ spec:
         # controller re-reconciles the same objects in a self-perpetuating loop.
         # Reconciles keep succeeding, so reconcile_errors_total stays flat and
         # error-based alerting misses it entirely. The fingerprint is a high
-        # reconcile rate while the workqueue stays drained. Evaluated per
+        # reconcile rate while the workqueue stays mostly drained. Evaluated per
         # controller across every controller compute-manager reports (job label
         # scopes to compute-manager; the controller/name label identifies which
         # one is storming when it fires) so it also covers cell-side controllers
-        # and any controller added later. The drained-queue guard keeps a
-        # legitimately busy controller (deep backlog) from tripping it.
+        # and any controller added later. The average-depth guard keeps a
+        # legitimately busy controller (sustained backlog) from tripping it
+        # without clearing the alert on a brief queue-depth spike.
         - alert: ComputeControllerReconcileStorm
           expr: |
             (
@@ -30,8 +31,8 @@ spec:
             )
             and on (controller)
             (
-              max by (controller) (
-                max_over_time(workqueue_depth{job="compute-metrics"}[5m])
+              avg by (controller) (
+                avg_over_time(workqueue_depth{job="compute-metrics"}[5m])
               ) < 5
             )
           for: 15m
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ spec:
             description: |
               The compute controller "{{ $labels.controller }}" has been
               reconciling at {{ $value | humanize }}/s (>30/min) for 15 minutes
-              while its workqueue has stayed drained. The same objects are being
+              while its workqueue has stayed mostly drained on average. The same objects are being
               re-reconciled in a self-perpetuating loop, burning control-plane
               capacity without doing real work.
 
@@ -57,39 +58,3 @@ spec:
               The firing controller label tells you where to look. See the
               runbook for confirmation queries, known causes, and remediation.
             runbook_url: https://github.com/datum-cloud/compute/blob/main/docs/runbooks/compute-management-controller-reconcile-storm.md
-
-        # Corroborating signal on the same fingerprint from the workqueue side:
-        # a high add rate against a drained queue is what feeds the loop.
-        # workqueue metrics label the controller as "name" rather than
-        # "controller".
-        - alert: ComputeControllerWorkqueueAddStorm
-          expr: |
-            (
-              sum by (name) (
-                rate(workqueue_adds_total{job="compute-metrics"}[5m])
-              ) > 0.5
-            )
-            and on (name)
-            (
-              max by (name) (
-                max_over_time(workqueue_depth{job="compute-metrics"}[5m])
-              ) < 5
-            )
-          for: 15m
-          labels:
-            severity: warning
-            service: compute-controllers
-            namespace: compute-system
-            team: compute
-          annotations:
-            summary: Compute {{ $labels.name }} controller workqueue is churning while drained
-            description: |
-              The compute controller "{{ $labels.name }}" has been enqueuing work
-              at {{ $value | humanize }}/s (>30/min) for 15 minutes while its
-              workqueue depth has stayed near zero. Items are being re-added as
-              fast as they drain, which is the enqueue-side signature of a
-              reconcile loop.
-
-              The firing controller label tells you where to look. See the
-              runbook for confirmation queries, known causes, and remediation.
-            runbook_url: https://github.com/datum-cloud/compute/blob/main/docs/runbooks/compute-management-controller-reconcile-storm.md
diff --git a/docs/runbooks/compute-management-controller-reconcile-storm.md b/docs/runbooks/compute-management-controller-reconcile-storm.md
index aa600fdc..d5a90b6f 100644
--- a/docs/runbooks/compute-management-controller-reconcile-storm.md
+++ b/docs/runbooks/compute-management-controller-reconcile-storm.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Runbook: Compute controller reconcile storm
 
-**Alerts:** `ComputeControllerReconcileStorm`, `ComputeControllerWorkqueueAddStorm`
+**Alert:** `ComputeControllerReconcileStorm`
 **Severity:** warning
 **Component:** compute controllers (`compute-system/compute-manager`)
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ including any controller added later. **The firing `controller` / `name` label
 tells you which controller is storming and therefore where to look.**
 
 Each reconcile **succeeds**, so error-based alerting stays silent. The tell is a
-high reconcile / enqueue rate while the workqueue stays drained (depth ~0) and
+high reconcile rate while the workqueue stays mostly drained (low average depth) and
 the number of objects for that controller's resource is small and stable.
 
 Left unchecked, this wastes control-plane CPU and apiserver capacity and adds
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ to focus on the storming controller.
    )
    ```
 
-2. **Enqueue rate vs. queue depth** — the smoking gun. A high add rate with a
-   depth pinned near zero means items are re-added as fast as they drain. Note
+2. **Enqueue rate vs. queue depth** — the corroborating signal. A high add rate
+   with a low average depth means items are re-added as fast as they drain. Note
    the workqueue metrics label the controller as `name`, not `controller`:
 
    ```promql
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ to focus on the storming controller.
      ) * 60
    )
 
-   # depth stays ~0 the whole time
-   max by (name) (workqueue_depth{job="compute-metrics"})
+   # average depth stays low; brief spikes do not invalidate the signal
+   avg by (name) (avg_over_time(workqueue_depth{job="compute-metrics"}[5m]))
    ```
 
 3. **Object count is tiny and stable** — confirms the rate is not just real work