diff --git a/controllers/nginx/pkg/cmd/controller/nginx.go b/controllers/nginx/pkg/cmd/controller/nginx.go
index 1a47e1d64..2621cfe51 100644
--- a/controllers/nginx/pkg/cmd/controller/nginx.go
+++ b/controllers/nginx/pkg/cmd/controller/nginx.go
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ func (n NGINXController) Reload(data []byte) ([]byte, bool, error) {
 		return nil, false, err
 	}
 
-	o, e := exec.Command(n.binary, "-s", "reload").CombinedOutput()
+	o, e := exec.Command(n.binary, "-s", "reload", "-c", cfgPath).CombinedOutput()
 
 	return o, true, e
 }