diff --git a/runtime/kubernetes/client/kubernetes.go b/runtime/kubernetes/client/kubernetes.go
index e75862f8..677a2214 100644
--- a/runtime/kubernetes/client/kubernetes.go
+++ b/runtime/kubernetes/client/kubernetes.go
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@
 package client
 
 import (
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
-	"time"
 
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/util/log"
 )
@@ -94,16 +92,6 @@ func NewDeployment(name, version string) *Deployment {
 		Annotations: map[string]string{},
 	}
 
-	// TODO: we need to figure out this version stuff
-	// might have to add Build to runtime.Service
-	buildTime, err := strconv.ParseInt(version, 10, 64)
-	if err == nil {
-		buildUnixTimeUTC := time.Unix(buildTime, 0)
-		Metadata.Annotations["build"] = buildUnixTimeUTC.Format(time.RFC3339)
-	} else {
-		log.Tracef("could not parse build: %v", err)
-	}
-
 	// enable go modules by default
 	env := EnvVar{
 		Name:  "GO111MODULE",
diff --git a/runtime/kubernetes/kubernetes.go b/runtime/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
index 91b224bc..ccac8ed4 100644
--- a/runtime/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
+++ b/runtime/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ package kubernetes
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"strconv"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -42,72 +41,6 @@ type kubernetes struct {
 	client client.Kubernetes
 }
 
-// NewRuntime creates new kubernetes runtime
-func NewRuntime(opts ...runtime.Option) runtime.Runtime {
-	// get default options
-	options := runtime.Options{}
-
-	// apply requested options
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&options)
-	}
-
-	// kubernetes client
-	client := client.NewClientInCluster()
-
-	return &kubernetes{
-		options: options,
-		closed:  make(chan bool),
-		queue:   make(chan *task, 128),
-		client:  client,
-	}
-}
-
-// Init initializes runtime options
-func (k *kubernetes) Init(opts ...runtime.Option) error {
-	k.Lock()
-	defer k.Unlock()
-
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&k.options)
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// Creates a service
-func (k *kubernetes) Create(s *runtime.Service, opts ...runtime.CreateOption) error {
-	k.Lock()
-	defer k.Unlock()
-
-	var options runtime.CreateOptions
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&options)
-	}
-
-	// quickly prevalidate the name and version
-	name := s.Name
-	if len(s.Version) > 0 {
-		name = name + "-" + s.Version
-	}
-
-	// format as we'll format in the deployment
-	name = client.Format(name)
-
-	// create new kubernetes micro service
-	service := newService(s, options)
-
-	log.Debugf("Runtime queueing service %s version %s for start action", service.Name, service.Version)
-
-	// push into start queue
-	k.queue <- &task{
-		action:  start,
-		service: service,
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
 // getService queries kubernetes for micro service
 // NOTE: this function is not thread-safe
 func (k *kubernetes) getService(labels map[string]string) ([]*runtime.Service, error) {
@@ -117,6 +50,8 @@ func (k *kubernetes) getService(labels map[string]string) ([]*runtime.Service, e
 		Kind:  "service",
 		Value: serviceList,
 	}
+
+	// get the service from k8s
 	if err := k.client.Get(r, labels); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -127,6 +62,8 @@ func (k *kubernetes) getService(labels map[string]string) ([]*runtime.Service, e
 		Kind:  "deployment",
 		Value: depList,
 	}
+
+	// get the deployment from k8s
 	if err := k.client.Get(d, labels); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -217,6 +154,139 @@ func (k *kubernetes) getService(labels map[string]string) ([]*runtime.Service, e
 	return services, nil
 }
 
+// run runs the runtime management loop
+func (k *kubernetes) run(events <-chan runtime.Event) {
+	t := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 10)
+	defer t.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-t.C:
+			// TODO: figure out what to do here
+			// - do we even need the ticker for k8s services?
+		case task := <-k.queue:
+			// The task queue is used to take actions e.g (CRUD - R)
+			switch task.action {
+			case start:
+				log.Debugf("Runtime starting new service: %s", task.service.Name)
+				if err := task.service.Start(k.client); err != nil {
+					log.Debugf("Runtime failed to start service %s: %v", task.service.Name, err)
+					continue
+				}
+			case stop:
+				log.Debugf("Runtime stopping service: %s", task.service.Name)
+				if err := task.service.Stop(k.client); err != nil {
+					log.Debugf("Runtime failed to stop service %s: %v", task.service.Name, err)
+					continue
+				}
+			case update:
+				log.Debugf("Runtime updating service: %s", task.service.Name)
+				if err := task.service.Update(k.client); err != nil {
+					log.Debugf("Runtime failed to update service %s: %v", task.service.Name, err)
+					continue
+				}
+			default:
+				log.Debugf("Runtime received unknown action for service: %s", task.service.Name)
+			}
+		case event := <-events:
+			// NOTE: we only handle Update events for now
+			log.Debugf("Runtime received notification event: %v", event)
+			switch event.Type {
+			case runtime.Update:
+				// only process if there's an actual service
+				// we do not update all the things individually
+				if len(event.Service) == 0 {
+					continue
+				}
+
+				// set the default labels
+				labels := map[string]string{
+					"micro": "service",
+					"name":  event.Service,
+				}
+
+				if len(event.Version) > 0 {
+					labels["version"] = event.Version
+				}
+
+				// get the deployment status
+				deployed := new(client.DeploymentList)
+
+				// get the existing service rather than creating a new one
+				err := k.client.Get(&client.Resource{
+					Kind:  "deployment",
+					Value: deployed,
+				}, labels)
+
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Debugf("Runtime update failed to get service %s: %v", event.Service, err)
+					continue
+				}
+
+				// technically we should not receive multiple versions but hey ho
+				for _, service := range deployed.Items {
+					// update build time annotation
+					service.Spec.Template.Metadata.Annotations["build"] = event.Timestamp.Format(time.RFC3339)
+
+					log.Debugf("Runtime updating service: %s", event.Service)
+					if err := k.client.Update(deploymentResource(&service)); err != nil {
+						log.Debugf("Runtime failed to update service %s: %v", event.Service, err)
+						continue
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		case <-k.closed:
+			log.Debugf("Runtime stopped")
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Init initializes runtime options
+func (k *kubernetes) Init(opts ...runtime.Option) error {
+	k.Lock()
+	defer k.Unlock()
+
+	for _, o := range opts {
+		o(&k.options)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Creates a service
+func (k *kubernetes) Create(s *runtime.Service, opts ...runtime.CreateOption) error {
+	k.Lock()
+	defer k.Unlock()
+
+	var options runtime.CreateOptions
+	for _, o := range opts {
+		o(&options)
+	}
+
+	// quickly prevalidate the name and version
+	name := s.Name
+	if len(s.Version) > 0 {
+		name = name + "-" + s.Version
+	}
+
+	// format as we'll format in the deployment
+	name = client.Format(name)
+
+	// create new kubernetes micro service
+	service := newService(s, options)
+
+	log.Debugf("Runtime queueing service %s version %s for start action", service.Name, service.Version)
+
+	// push into start queue
+	k.queue <- &task{
+		action:  start,
+		service: service,
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Read returns all instances of given service
 func (k *kubernetes) Read(name string, opts ...runtime.ReadOption) ([]*runtime.Service, error) {
 	k.Lock()
@@ -267,18 +337,11 @@ func (k *kubernetes) List() ([]*runtime.Service, error) {
 
 // Update the service in place
 func (k *kubernetes) Update(s *runtime.Service) error {
-	// parse version into human readable timestamp
-	updateTimeStamp, err := strconv.ParseInt(s.Version, 10, 64)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	unixTimeUTC := time.Unix(updateTimeStamp, 0)
-
 	// create new kubernetes micro service
 	service := newService(s, runtime.CreateOptions{})
 
 	// update build time annotation
-	service.kdeploy.Spec.Template.Metadata.Annotations["build"] = unixTimeUTC.Format(time.RFC3339)
+	service.kdeploy.Spec.Template.Metadata.Annotations["build"] = time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339)
 
 	log.Debugf("Runtime queueing service %s for update action", service.Name)
 
@@ -291,7 +354,7 @@ func (k *kubernetes) Update(s *runtime.Service) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Remove a service
+// Delete removes a service
 func (k *kubernetes) Delete(s *runtime.Service) error {
 	k.Lock()
 	defer k.Unlock()
@@ -310,76 +373,7 @@ func (k *kubernetes) Delete(s *runtime.Service) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// run runs the runtime management loop
-func (k *kubernetes) run(events <-chan runtime.Event) {
-	t := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 10)
-	defer t.Stop()
-
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-t.C:
-			// TODO: figure out what to do here
-			// - do we even need the ticker for k8s services?
-		case task := <-k.queue:
-			switch task.action {
-			case start:
-				log.Debugf("Runtime starting new service: %s", task.service.Name)
-				if err := task.service.Start(k.client); err != nil {
-					log.Debugf("Runtime failed to start service %s: %v", task.service.Name, err)
-					continue
-				}
-			case stop:
-				log.Debugf("Runtime stopping service: %s", task.service.Name)
-				if err := task.service.Stop(k.client); err != nil {
-					log.Debugf("Runtime failed to stop service %s: %v", task.service.Name, err)
-					continue
-				}
-			case update:
-				log.Debugf("Runtime updating service: %s", task.service.Name)
-				if err := task.service.Update(k.client); err != nil {
-					log.Debugf("Runtime failed to update service %s: %v", task.service.Name, err)
-					continue
-				}
-			default:
-				log.Debugf("Runtime received unknown action for service: %s", task.service.Name)
-			}
-		case event := <-events:
-			// NOTE: we only handle Update events for now
-			log.Debugf("Runtime received notification event: %v", event)
-			switch event.Type {
-			case runtime.Update:
-				// parse returned response to timestamp
-				updateTimeStamp, err := strconv.ParseInt(event.Version, 10, 64)
-				if err != nil {
-					log.Debugf("Runtime error parsing update build time: %v", err)
-					continue
-				}
-				unixTimeUTC := time.Unix(updateTimeStamp, 0)
-				if len(event.Service) > 0 {
-					s := &runtime.Service{
-						Name:    event.Service,
-						Version: event.Version,
-					}
-					// create new kubernetes micro service
-					service := newService(s, runtime.CreateOptions{})
-					// update build time annotation
-					service.kdeploy.Spec.Template.Metadata.Annotations["build"] = unixTimeUTC.Format(time.RFC3339)
-
-					log.Debugf("Runtime updating service: %s", service.Name)
-					if err := service.Update(k.client); err != nil {
-						log.Debugf("Runtime failed to update service %s: %v", service.Name, err)
-						continue
-					}
-				}
-			}
-		case <-k.closed:
-			log.Debugf("Runtime stopped")
-			return
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// starts the runtime
+// Start starts the runtime
 func (k *kubernetes) Start() error {
 	k.Lock()
 	defer k.Unlock()
@@ -408,7 +402,7 @@ func (k *kubernetes) Start() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Shutdown the runtime
+// Stop shuts down the runtime
 func (k *kubernetes) Stop() error {
 	k.Lock()
 	defer k.Unlock()
@@ -437,3 +431,24 @@ func (k *kubernetes) Stop() error {
 func (k *kubernetes) String() string {
 	return "kubernetes"
 }
+
+// NewRuntime creates new kubernetes runtime
+func NewRuntime(opts ...runtime.Option) runtime.Runtime {
+	// get default options
+	options := runtime.Options{}
+
+	// apply requested options
+	for _, o := range opts {
+		o(&options)
+	}
+
+	// kubernetes client
+	client := client.NewClientInCluster()
+
+	return &kubernetes{
+		options: options,
+		closed:  make(chan bool),
+		queue:   make(chan *task, 128),
+		client:  client,
+	}
+}
diff --git a/runtime/kubernetes/service.go b/runtime/kubernetes/service.go
index 2a73071c..1fcb4029 100644
--- a/runtime/kubernetes/service.go
+++ b/runtime/kubernetes/service.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package kubernetes
 
 import (
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/runtime"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/runtime/kubernetes/client"
@@ -34,6 +35,9 @@ func newService(s *runtime.Service, c runtime.CreateOptions) *service {
 	kdeploy.Metadata.Annotations["owner"] = "micro"
 	kdeploy.Metadata.Annotations["group"] = "micro"
 
+	// set a build timestamp to the current time
+	kdeploy.Metadata.Annotations["build"] = time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339)
+
 	// define the environment values used by the container
 	env := make([]client.EnvVar, 0, len(c.Env))
 	for _, evar := range c.Env {