diff --git a/docs/examples/affinity/cookie/README.md b/docs/examples/affinity/cookie/README.md
index 5ee8855d0..ee6684bde 100644
--- a/docs/examples/affinity/cookie/README.md
+++ b/docs/examples/affinity/cookie/README.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Session affinity can be configured using the following annotations:
 |Name|Description|Value|
 | --- | --- | --- |
 |nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/affinity|Type of the affinity, set this to `cookie` to enable session affinity|string (NGINX only supports `cookie`)|
+|nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/affinity-mode|The affinity mode defines how sticky a session is. Use `balanced` to redistribute some sessions when scaling pods or `persistent` for maximum stickyness.|`balanced` (default) or `persistent`|
 |nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/session-cookie-name|Name of the cookie that will be created|string (defaults to `INGRESSCOOKIE`)|
 |nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/session-cookie-path|Path that will be set on the cookie (required if your [Ingress paths][ingress-paths] use regular expressions)|string (defaults to the currently [matched path][ingress-paths])|
 |nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/session-cookie-max-age|Time until the cookie expires, corresponds to the `Max-Age` cookie directive|number of seconds|
diff --git a/docs/user-guide/nginx-configuration/annotations.md b/docs/user-guide/nginx-configuration/annotations.md
index c240a114c..16a1a7603 100755
--- a/docs/user-guide/nginx-configuration/annotations.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide/nginx-configuration/annotations.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ You can add these Kubernetes annotations to specific Ingress objects to customiz
 |---------------------------|------|
 |[nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/app-root](#rewrite)|string|
 |[nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/affinity](#session-affinity)|cookie|
+|[nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/affinity-mode](#session-affinity)|"balanced" or "persistent"|
 |[nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/auth-realm](#authentication)|string|
 |[nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/auth-secret](#authentication)|string|
 |[nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/auth-secret-type](#authentication)|string|
@@ -152,6 +153,8 @@ If the Application Root is exposed in a different path and needs to be redirecte
 The annotation `nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/affinity` enables and sets the affinity type in all Upstreams of an Ingress. This way, a request will always be directed to the same upstream server.
 The only affinity type available for NGINX is `cookie`.
 
+The annotation `nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/affinity-mode` defines the stickyness of a session. Setting this to `balanced` (default) will redistribute some sessions if a deployment gets scaled up, therefore rebalancing the load on the servers. Setting this to `persistent` will not rebalance sessions to new servers, therefore providing maximum stickyness.
+
 !!! attention
     If more than one Ingress is defined for a host and at least one Ingress uses `nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/affinity: cookie`, then only paths on the Ingress using `nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/affinity` will use session cookie affinity. All paths defined on other Ingresses for the host will be load balanced through the random selection of a backend server.
 
diff --git a/internal/ingress/annotations/annotations_test.go b/internal/ingress/annotations/annotations_test.go
index 69d90fd0c..a496cd9ba 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/annotations/annotations_test.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/annotations/annotations_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ var (
 	annotationSecureVerifyCACert   = parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix("secure-verify-ca-secret")
 	annotationPassthrough          = parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix("ssl-passthrough")
 	annotationAffinityType         = parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix("affinity")
+	annotationAffinityMode         = parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix("affinity-mode")
 	annotationCorsEnabled          = parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix("enable-cors")
 	annotationCorsAllowMethods     = parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix("cors-allow-methods")
 	annotationCorsAllowHeaders     = parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix("cors-allow-headers")
@@ -199,13 +200,14 @@ func TestAffinitySession(t *testing.T) {
 	fooAnns := []struct {
 		annotations  map[string]string
 		affinitytype string
+		affinitymode string
 		name         string
 	}{
-		{map[string]string{annotationAffinityType: "cookie", annotationAffinityCookieName: "route"}, "cookie", "route"},
-		{map[string]string{annotationAffinityType: "cookie", annotationAffinityCookieName: "route1"}, "cookie", "route1"},
-		{map[string]string{annotationAffinityType: "cookie", annotationAffinityCookieName: ""}, "cookie", "INGRESSCOOKIE"},
-		{map[string]string{}, "", ""},
-		{nil, "", ""},
+		{map[string]string{annotationAffinityType: "cookie", annotationAffinityMode: "balanced", annotationAffinityCookieName: "route"}, "cookie", "balanced", "route"},
+		{map[string]string{annotationAffinityType: "cookie", annotationAffinityMode: "persistent", annotationAffinityCookieName: "route1"}, "cookie", "persistent", "route1"},
+		{map[string]string{annotationAffinityType: "cookie", annotationAffinityMode: "balanced", annotationAffinityCookieName: ""}, "cookie", "balanced", "INGRESSCOOKIE"},
+		{map[string]string{}, "", "", ""},
+		{nil, "", "", ""},
 	}
 
 	for _, foo := range fooAnns {
@@ -213,6 +215,10 @@ func TestAffinitySession(t *testing.T) {
 		r := ec.Extract(ing).SessionAffinity
 		t.Logf("Testing pass %v %v", foo.affinitytype, foo.name)
 
+		if r.Mode != foo.affinitymode {
+			t.Errorf("Returned %v but expected %v for Name", r.Mode, foo.affinitymode)
+		}
+
 		if r.Cookie.Name != foo.name {
 			t.Errorf("Returned %v but expected %v for Name", r.Cookie.Name, foo.name)
 		}
diff --git a/internal/ingress/annotations/sessionaffinity/main.go b/internal/ingress/annotations/sessionaffinity/main.go
index 417f625b0..d6ce54f5f 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/annotations/sessionaffinity/main.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/annotations/sessionaffinity/main.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	annotationAffinityType = "affinity"
+	annotationAffinityMode = "affinity-mode"
 	// If a cookie with this name exists,
 	// its value is used as an index into the list of available backends.
 	annotationAffinityCookieName = "session-cookie-name"
@@ -57,6 +58,8 @@ var (
 type Config struct {
 	// The type of affinity that will be used
 	Type string `json:"type"`
+	// The affinity mode, i.e. how sticky a session is
+	Mode string `json:"mode"`
 	Cookie
 }
 
@@ -136,6 +139,12 @@ func (a affinity) Parse(ing *networking.Ingress) (interface{}, error) {
 		at = ""
 	}
 
+	// Check the afinity mode that will be used
+	am, err := parser.GetStringAnnotation(annotationAffinityMode, ing)
+	if err != nil {
+		am = ""
+	}
+
 	switch at {
 	case "cookie":
 		cookie = a.cookieAffinityParse(ing)
@@ -146,6 +155,7 @@ func (a affinity) Parse(ing *networking.Ingress) (interface{}, error) {
 
 	return &Config{
 		Type:   at,
+		Mode:   am,
 		Cookie: *cookie,
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/ingress/annotations/sessionaffinity/main_test.go b/internal/ingress/annotations/sessionaffinity/main_test.go
index bdb038e0d..29c514047 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/annotations/sessionaffinity/main_test.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/annotations/sessionaffinity/main_test.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ func TestIngressAffinityCookieConfig(t *testing.T) {
 
 	data := map[string]string{}
 	data[parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix(annotationAffinityType)] = "cookie"
+	data[parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix(annotationAffinityMode)] = "balanced"
 	data[parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix(annotationAffinityCookieName)] = "INGRESSCOOKIE"
 	data[parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix(annotationAffinityCookieExpires)] = "4500"
 	data[parser.GetAnnotationWithPrefix(annotationAffinityCookieMaxAge)] = "3000"
@@ -84,6 +85,10 @@ func TestIngressAffinityCookieConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected cookie as affinity but returned %v", nginxAffinity.Type)
 	}
 
+	if nginxAffinity.Mode != "balanced" {
+		t.Errorf("expected balanced as affinity mode but returned %v", nginxAffinity.Mode)
+	}
+
 	if nginxAffinity.Cookie.Name != "INGRESSCOOKIE" {
 		t.Errorf("expected INGRESSCOOKIE as session-cookie-name but returned %v", nginxAffinity.Cookie.Name)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/ingress/controller/controller.go b/internal/ingress/controller/controller.go
index 34889226e..a3ce13a6f 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/controller/controller.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/controller/controller.go
@@ -571,6 +571,10 @@ func (n *NGINXController) getBackendServers(ingresses []*ingress.Ingress) ([]*in
 					ups.SessionAffinity.AffinityType = anns.SessionAffinity.Type
 				}
 
+				if ups.SessionAffinity.AffinityMode == "" {
+					ups.SessionAffinity.AffinityMode = anns.SessionAffinity.Mode
+				}
+
 				if anns.SessionAffinity.Type == "cookie" {
 					cookiePath := anns.SessionAffinity.Cookie.Path
 					if anns.Rewrite.UseRegex && cookiePath == "" {
diff --git a/internal/ingress/types.go b/internal/ingress/types.go
index c87beb49d..9dd58a4f7 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/types.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/types.go
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ func (s Backend) HashInclude(field string, v interface{}) (bool, error) {
 // +k8s:deepcopy-gen=true
 type SessionAffinityConfig struct {
 	AffinityType          string                `json:"name"`
+	AffinityMode          string                `json:"mode"`
 	CookieSessionAffinity CookieSessionAffinity `json:"cookieSessionAffinity"`
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/ingress/types_equals.go b/internal/ingress/types_equals.go
index d13dbe080..88815c1a4 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/types_equals.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/types_equals.go
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ func (sac1 *SessionAffinityConfig) Equal(sac2 *SessionAffinityConfig) bool {
 	if sac1.AffinityType != sac2.AffinityType {
 		return false
 	}
+	if sac1.AffinityMode != sac2.AffinityMode {
+		return false
+	}
 	if !(&sac1.CookieSessionAffinity).Equal(&sac2.CookieSessionAffinity) {
 		return false
 	}
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer.lua b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer.lua
index ec8eb194b..b23ee4e15 100644
--- a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer.lua
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ local configuration = require("configuration")
 local round_robin = require("balancer.round_robin")
 local chash = require("balancer.chash")
 local chashsubset = require("balancer.chashsubset")
-local sticky = require("balancer.sticky")
+local sticky_balanced = require("balancer.sticky_balanced")
+local sticky_persistent = require("balancer.sticky_persistent")
 local ewma = require("balancer.ewma")
 
 -- measured in seconds
@@ -19,7 +20,8 @@ local IMPLEMENTATIONS = {
   round_robin = round_robin,
   chash = chash,
   chashsubset = chashsubset,
-  sticky = sticky,
+  sticky_balanced = sticky_balanced,
+  sticky_persistent = sticky_persistent,
   ewma = ewma,
 }
 
@@ -30,7 +32,11 @@ local function get_implementation(backend)
   local name = backend["load-balance"] or DEFAULT_LB_ALG
 
   if backend["sessionAffinityConfig"] and backend["sessionAffinityConfig"]["name"] == "cookie" then
-    name = "sticky"
+    if backend["sessionAffinityConfig"]["mode"] == 'persistent' then
+      name = "sticky_persistent"
+    else
+      name = "sticky_balanced"
+    end
   elseif backend["upstreamHashByConfig"] and backend["upstreamHashByConfig"]["upstream-hash-by"] then
     if backend["upstreamHashByConfig"]["upstream-hash-by-subset"] then
       name = "chashsubset"
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky.lua b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky.lua
index 366ee6d32..a5570911c 100644
--- a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky.lua
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky.lua
@@ -1,43 +1,38 @@
 local balancer_resty = require("balancer.resty")
-local resty_chash = require("resty.chash")
-local util = require("util")
 local ck = require("resty.cookie")
-local math = require("math")
 local ngx_balancer = require("ngx.balancer")
 local split = require("util.split")
 
-local string_format = string.format
-local ngx_log = ngx.log
-local INFO = ngx.INFO
-
-local _M = balancer_resty:new({ factory = resty_chash, name = "sticky" })
+local _M = balancer_resty:new()
 local DEFAULT_COOKIE_NAME = "route"
 
--- Consider the situation of N upstreams one of which is failing.
--- Then the probability to obtain failing upstream after M iterations would be close to (1/N)**M.
--- For the worst case (2 upstreams; 20 iterations) it would be ~10**(-6)
--- which is much better then ~10**(-3) for 10 iterations.
-local MAX_UPSTREAM_CHECKS_COUNT = 20
-
 function _M.cookie_name(self)
   return self.cookie_session_affinity.name or DEFAULT_COOKIE_NAME
 end
 
-function _M.new(self, backend)
-  local nodes = util.get_nodes(backend.endpoints)
-
+function _M.new(self)
   local o = {
-    instance = self.factory:new(nodes),
-    traffic_shaping_policy = backend.trafficShapingPolicy,
-    alternative_backends = backend.alternativeBackends,
-    cookie_session_affinity = backend["sessionAffinityConfig"]["cookieSessionAffinity"]
+    alternative_backends = nil,
+    cookie_session_affinity = nil,
+    traffic_shaping_policy = nil
   }
+
   setmetatable(o, self)
   self.__index = self
+
   return o
 end
 
-local function set_cookie(self, value)
+function _M.get_cookie(self)
+  local cookie, err = ck:new()
+  if not cookie then
+    ngx.log(ngx.ERR, err)
+  end
+
+  return cookie:get(self:cookie_name())
+end
+
+function _M.set_cookie(self, value)
   local cookie, err = ck:new()
   if not cookie then
     ngx.log(ngx.ERR, err)
@@ -86,22 +81,6 @@ local function get_failed_upstreams()
   return indexed_upstream_addrs
 end
 
-local function pick_new_upstream(self)
-  local failed_upstreams = get_failed_upstreams()
-
-  for i = 1, MAX_UPSTREAM_CHECKS_COUNT do
-    local key = string.format("%s.%s.%s", ngx.now() + i, ngx.worker.pid(), math.random(999999))
-
-    local new_upstream = self.instance:find(key)
-
-    if not failed_upstreams[new_upstream] then
-      return new_upstream, key
-    end
-  end
-
-  return nil, nil
-end
-
 local function should_set_cookie(self)
   if self.cookie_session_affinity.locations and ngx.var.host then
     local locs = self.cookie_session_affinity.locations[ngx.var.host]
@@ -128,15 +107,9 @@ local function should_set_cookie(self)
 end
 
 function _M.balance(self)
-  local cookie, err = ck:new()
-  if not cookie then
-    ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "error while initializing cookie: " .. tostring(err))
-    return
-  end
-
   local upstream_from_cookie
 
-  local key = cookie:get(self:cookie_name())
+  local key = self:get_cookie()
   if key then
     upstream_from_cookie = self.instance:find(key)
   end
@@ -151,30 +124,22 @@ function _M.balance(self)
 
   local new_upstream
 
-  new_upstream, key = pick_new_upstream(self)
+  new_upstream, key = self:pick_new_upstream(get_failed_upstreams())
   if not new_upstream then
     ngx.log(ngx.WARN, string.format("failed to get new upstream; using upstream %s", new_upstream))
   elseif should_set_cookie(self) then
-    set_cookie(self, key)
+    self:set_cookie(key)
   end
 
   return new_upstream
 end
 
 function _M.sync(self, backend)
+  -- reload balancer nodes
   balancer_resty.sync(self, backend)
 
-  -- Reload the balancer if any of the annotations have changed.
-  local changed = not util.deep_compare(
-    self.cookie_session_affinity,
-    backend.sessionAffinityConfig.cookieSessionAffinity
-  )
-  if not changed then
-    return
-  end
-
-  ngx_log(INFO, string_format("[%s] nodes have changed for backend %s", self.name, backend.name))
-
+  self.traffic_shaping_policy = backend.trafficShapingPolicy
+  self.alternative_backends = backend.alternativeBackends
   self.cookie_session_affinity = backend.sessionAffinityConfig.cookieSessionAffinity
 end
 
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky_balanced.lua b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky_balanced.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce0018158
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky_balanced.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+-- An affinity mode which makes sure connections are rebalanced when a deployment is scaled.
+-- The advantage of this mode is that the load on the pods will be redistributed.
+-- The drawback of this mode is that, when scaling up a deployment, roughly (n-c)/n users
+-- will lose their session, where c is the current number of pods and n is the new number of
+-- pods.
+--
+local balancer_sticky = require("balancer.sticky")
+local math_random = require("math").random
+local resty_chash = require("resty.chash")
+local util_get_nodes = require("util").get_nodes
+
+local _M = balancer_sticky:new()
+
+-- Consider the situation of N upstreams one of which is failing.
+-- Then the probability to obtain failing upstream after M iterations would be close to (1/N)**M.
+-- For the worst case (2 upstreams; 20 iterations) it would be ~10**(-6)
+-- which is much better then ~10**(-3) for 10 iterations.
+local MAX_UPSTREAM_CHECKS_COUNT = 20
+
+function _M.new(self, backend)
+  local nodes = util_get_nodes(backend.endpoints)
+
+  local o = {
+    name = "sticky_balanced",
+    instance = resty_chash:new(nodes)
+  }
+
+  setmetatable(o, self)
+  self.__index = self
+
+  balancer_sticky.sync(o, backend)
+
+  return o
+end
+
+function _M.pick_new_upstream(self, failed_upstreams)
+  for i = 1, MAX_UPSTREAM_CHECKS_COUNT do
+    local key = string.format("%s.%s.%s", ngx.now() + i, ngx.worker.pid(), math_random(999999))
+    local new_upstream = self.instance:find(key)
+
+    if not failed_upstreams[new_upstream] then
+      return new_upstream, key
+    end
+  end
+
+  return nil, nil
+end
+
+return _M
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky_persistent.lua b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky_persistent.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4a6f0da2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/balancer/sticky_persistent.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+-- An affinity mode which makes sure a session is always routed to the same endpoint.
+-- The advantage of this mode is that a user will never lose his session.
+-- The drawback of this mode is that when scaling up a deployment, sessions will not
+-- be rebalanced.
+--
+local balancer_sticky = require("balancer.sticky")
+local util_get_nodes = require("util").get_nodes
+local util_nodemap = require("util.nodemap")
+
+local _M = balancer_sticky:new()
+
+function _M.new(self, backend)
+  local nodes = util_get_nodes(backend.endpoints)
+  local hash_salt = backend["name"]
+
+  local o = {
+    name = "sticky_persistent",
+    instance = util_nodemap:new(nodes, hash_salt)
+  }
+
+  setmetatable(o, self)
+  self.__index = self
+
+  balancer_sticky.sync(o, backend)
+
+  return o
+end
+
+function _M.pick_new_upstream(self, failed_upstreams)
+  return self.instance:random_except(failed_upstreams)
+end
+
+return _M
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/balancer/sticky_test.lua b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/balancer/sticky_test.lua
index 0c8b3297d..53f1c1ea7 100644
--- a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/balancer/sticky_test.lua
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/balancer/sticky_test.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-local sticky = require("balancer.sticky")
+local sticky_balanced = require("balancer.sticky_balanced")
+local sticky_persistent = require("balancer.sticky_persistent")
 local cookie = require("resty.cookie")
 local util = require("util")
 
@@ -15,11 +16,16 @@ local function reset_ngx()
 end
 
 function get_mocked_cookie_new()
+  local o = { value = nil }
+  local mock = {
+    get = function(self, n) return self.value end,
+    set = function(self, c) self.value = c.value ; return true, nil end
+  }
+  setmetatable(o, mock)
+  mock.__index = mock
+
   return function(self)
-    return {
-      get = function(self, n) return nil, "error" end,
-      set = function(self, n) return true, "" end
-    }
+    return o;
   end
 end
 
@@ -52,21 +58,27 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
 
   describe("new(backend)", function()
     context("when backend specifies cookie name", function()
-      it("returns an instance containing the corresponding cookie name", function()
+      local function test(sticky)
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(test_backend)
         local test_backend_cookie_name = test_backend.sessionAffinityConfig.cookieSessionAffinity.name
         assert.equal(sticky_balancer_instance:cookie_name(), test_backend_cookie_name)
-      end)
+      end
+
+      it("returns an instance containing the corresponding cookie name", function() test(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("returns an instance containing the corresponding cookie name", function() test(sticky_persistent) end)
     end)
 
     context("when backend does not specify cookie name", function()
-      it("returns an instance with 'route' as cookie name", function()
+      local function test(sticky)
         local temp_backend = util.deepcopy(test_backend)
         temp_backend.sessionAffinityConfig.cookieSessionAffinity.name = nil
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(temp_backend)
         local default_cookie_name = "route"
         assert.equal(sticky_balancer_instance:cookie_name(), default_cookie_name)
-      end)
+      end
+
+      it("returns an instance with 'route' as cookie name", function() test(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("returns an instance with 'route' as cookie name", function() test(sticky_persistent) end)
     end)
   end)
 
@@ -74,8 +86,10 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
     local mocked_cookie_new = cookie.new
 
     before_each(function()
-      package.loaded["balancer.sticky"] = nil
-      sticky = require("balancer.sticky")
+      package.loaded["balancer.sticky_balanced"] = nil
+      package.loaded["balancer.sticky_persistent"] = nil
+      sticky_balanced = require("balancer.sticky_balanced")
+      sticky_persistent = require("balancer.sticky_persistent")
     end)
 
     after_each(function()
@@ -83,13 +97,17 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
     end)
 
     context("when client doesn't have a cookie set and location is in cookie_locations", function()
-      it("picks an endpoint for the client", function()
+
+      local function test_pick_endpoint(sticky)
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(test_backend)
         local peer = sticky_balancer_instance:balance()
-        assert.equal(peer, test_backend_endpoint)
-      end)
+        assert.equal(test_backend_endpoint, peer)
+      end
 
-      it("sets a cookie on the client", function()
+      it("picks an endpoint for the client", function() test_pick_endpoint(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("picks an endpoint for the client", function() test_pick_endpoint(sticky_persistent) end)
+
+      local function test_set_cookie(sticky)
         local s = {}
         cookie.new = function(self)
           local cookie_instance = {
@@ -112,9 +130,12 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(b)
         assert.has_no.errors(function() sticky_balancer_instance:balance() end)
         assert.spy(s).was_called()
-      end)
+      end
 
-      it("sets a secure cookie on the client when being in ssl mode", function()
+      it("sets a cookie on the client", function() test_set_cookie(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("sets a cookie on the client", function() test_set_cookie(sticky_persistent) end)
+
+      local function test_set_ssl_cookie(sticky)
         ngx.var.https = "on"
         local s = {}
         cookie.new = function(self)
@@ -138,10 +159,18 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(b)
         assert.has_no.errors(function() sticky_balancer_instance:balance() end)
         assert.spy(s).was_called()
+      end
+
+      it("sets a secure cookie on the client when being in ssl mode", function()
+          test_set_ssl_cookie(sticky_balanced)
+      end)
+      it("sets a secure cookie on the client when being in ssl mode", function()
+        test_set_ssl_cookie(sticky_persistent)
       end)
     end)
 
-    context("when client doesn't have a cookie set and cookie_locations contains a matching wildcard location", function()
+    context("when client doesn't have a cookie set and cookie_locations contains a matching wildcard location",
+    function()
       before_each(function ()
         ngx.var.host = "dev.test.com"
       end)
@@ -149,7 +178,7 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
         ngx.var.host = "test.com"
       end)
 
-      it("sets a cookie on the client", function()
+      local function test(sticky)
         local s = {}
         cookie.new = function(self)
           local cookie_instance = {
@@ -173,17 +202,24 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(b)
         assert.has_no.errors(function() sticky_balancer_instance:balance() end)
         assert.spy(s).was_called()
-      end)
+      end 
+
+      it("sets a cookie on the client", function() test(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("sets a cookie on the client", function() test(sticky_persistent) end)
     end)
 
     context("when client doesn't have a cookie set and location not in cookie_locations", function()
-      it("picks an endpoint for the client", function()
+
+      local function test_pick_endpoint(sticky)
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(test_backend)
         local peer = sticky_balancer_instance:balance()
         assert.equal(peer, test_backend_endpoint)
-      end)
+      end
 
-      it("does not set a cookie on the client", function()
+      it("picks an endpoint for the client", function() test_pick_endpoint(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("picks an endpoint for the client", function() test_pick_endpoint(sticky_persistent) end)
+
+      local function test_no_cookie(sticky)
         local s = {}
         cookie.new = function(self)
           local cookie_instance = {
@@ -202,11 +238,15 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(get_test_backend())
         assert.has_no.errors(function() sticky_balancer_instance:balance() end)
         assert.spy(s).was_not_called()
-      end)
+      end
+
+      it("does not set a cookie on the client", function() test_no_cookie(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("does not set a cookie on the client", function() test_no_cookie(sticky_persistent) end)
     end)
 
     context("when client has a cookie set", function()
-      it("does not set a cookie", function()
+
+      local function test_no_cookie(sticky)
         local s = {}
         cookie.new = function(self)
           local return_obj = {
@@ -219,13 +259,19 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(test_backend)
         assert.has_no.errors(function() sticky_balancer_instance:balance() end)
         assert.spy(s).was_not_called()
-      end)
+      end
 
-      it("returns the correct endpoint for the client", function()
+      it("does not set a cookie", function() test_no_cookie(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("does not set a cookie", function() test_no_cookie(sticky_persistent) end)
+
+      local function test_correct_endpoint(sticky)
         local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(test_backend)
         local peer = sticky_balancer_instance:balance()
         assert.equal(peer, test_backend_endpoint)
-      end)
+      end
+
+      it("returns the correct endpoint for the client", function() test_correct_endpoint(sticky_balanced) end)
+      it("returns the correct endpoint for the client", function() test_correct_endpoint(sticky_persistent) end)
     end)
   end)
 
@@ -238,7 +284,12 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
       },
       sessionAffinityConfig = {
         name = "cookie",
-        cookieSessionAffinity = { name = "test_name", hash = "sha1", change_on_failure = change_on_failure }
+        cookieSessionAffinity = {
+          name = "test_name",
+          hash = "sha1",
+          change_on_failure = change_on_failure,
+          locations = { ['test.com'] = {'/'} }
+        }
       },
     }
   end
@@ -247,53 +298,58 @@ describe("Sticky", function()
     local mocked_cookie_new = cookie.new
 
     before_each(function()
-      package.loaded["balancer.sticky"] = nil
-      sticky = require("balancer.sticky")
+      package.loaded["balancer.sticky_balanced"] = nil
+      package.loaded["balancer.sticky_persistent"] = nil
+      sticky_balanced = require("balancer.sticky_balanced")
+      sticky_persistent = require("balancer.sticky_persistent")
+      mock_ngx({ var = { location_path = "/", host = "test.com" } })
     end)
 
     after_each(function()
-      cookie.new = mocked_cookie_new
+      reset_ngx()
     end)
 
     context("when request to upstream fails", function()
+
+      local function test(sticky, change_on_failure)
+        local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(get_several_test_backends(change_on_failure))
+
+        local old_upstream = sticky_balancer_instance:balance()
+        assert.is.Not.Nil(old_upstream)
+        for _ = 1, 100 do
+          -- make sure upstream doesn't change on subsequent calls of balance()
+          assert.equal(old_upstream, sticky_balancer_instance:balance())
+        end
+
+        -- simulate request failure
+        sticky_balancer_instance.get_last_failure = function()
+          return "failed"
+        end
+        _G.ngx.var.upstream_addr = old_upstream
+
+        for _ = 1, 100 do
+          local new_upstream = sticky_balancer_instance:balance()
+          if change_on_failure == false then
+            -- upstream should be the same inspite of error, if change_on_failure option is false
+            assert.equal(new_upstream, old_upstream)
+          else
+            -- upstream should change after error, if change_on_failure option is true
+            assert.not_equal(new_upstream, old_upstream)
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
       it("changes upstream when change_on_failure option is true", function()
-        -- create sticky cookie
-        cookie.new = function(self)
-          local return_obj = {
-            set = function(v) return false, nil end,
-            get = function(k) return "" end,
-          }
-          return return_obj, false
-        end
-
-        local options = {false, true}
-
-        for _, option in ipairs(options) do
-          local sticky_balancer_instance = sticky:new(get_several_test_backends(option))
-
-          local old_upstream = sticky_balancer_instance:balance()
-          for _ = 1, 100 do
-            -- make sure upstream doesn't change on subsequent calls of balance()
-            assert.equal(old_upstream, sticky_balancer_instance:balance())
-          end
-
-          -- simulate request failure
-          sticky_balancer_instance.get_last_failure = function()
-            return "failed"
-          end
-          _G.ngx.var = { upstream_addr = old_upstream }
-
-          for _ = 1, 100 do
-            local new_upstream = sticky_balancer_instance:balance()
-            if option == false then
-              -- upstream should be the same inspite of error, if change_on_failure option is false
-              assert.equal(new_upstream, old_upstream)
-            else
-              -- upstream should change after error, if change_on_failure option is true
-              assert.not_equal(new_upstream, old_upstream)
-            end
-          end
-        end
+        test(sticky_balanced, true)
+      end)
+      it("changes upstream when change_on_failure option is true", function()
+        test(sticky_balanced, false)
+      end)
+      it("changes upstream when change_on_failure option is true", function()
+        test(sticky_persistent, true)
+      end)
+      it("changes upstream when change_on_failure option is true", function()
+        test(sticky_persistent, false)
       end)
     end)
   end)
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/balancer_test.lua b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/balancer_test.lua
index 2851f5853..a3a004896 100644
--- a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/balancer_test.lua
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/balancer_test.lua
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ local function reset_expected_implementations()
     ["access-router-production-web-80"] = package.loaded["balancer.round_robin"],
     ["my-dummy-app-1"] = package.loaded["balancer.round_robin"],
     ["my-dummy-app-2"] = package.loaded["balancer.chash"],
-    ["my-dummy-app-3"] = package.loaded["balancer.sticky"],
+    ["my-dummy-app-3"] = package.loaded["balancer.sticky_persistent"],
     ["my-dummy-app-4"] = package.loaded["balancer.ewma"],
-    ["my-dummy-app-5"] = package.loaded["balancer.sticky"],
+    ["my-dummy-app-5"] = package.loaded["balancer.sticky_balanced"]
   }
 end
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ local function reset_backends()
     },
     {
       name = "my-dummy-app-3", ["load-balance"] = "ewma",
-      sessionAffinityConfig = { name = "cookie", cookieSessionAffinity = { name = "route" } }
+      sessionAffinityConfig = { name = "cookie", mode = 'persistent', cookieSessionAffinity = { name = "route" } }
     },
     { name = "my-dummy-app-4", ["load-balance"] = "ewma", },
     {
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/util/nodemap_test.lua b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/util/nodemap_test.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f012bb7ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/test/util/nodemap_test.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+local util = require("util")
+local nodemap = require("util.nodemap")
+
+local function get_test_backend_single()
+  return {
+    name = "access-router-production-web-80",
+    endpoints = {
+      { address = "10.184.7.40", port = "8080", maxFails = 0, failTimeout = 0 }
+    }
+  }
+end
+
+local function get_test_backend_multi()
+  return {
+    name = "access-router-production-web-80",
+    endpoints = {
+      { address = "10.184.7.40", port = "8080", maxFails = 0, failTimeout = 0 },
+      { address = "10.184.7.41", port = "8080", maxFails = 0, failTimeout = 0 }
+    }
+  }
+end
+
+local function get_test_nodes_ignore(endpoint)
+  local ignore = {}
+  ignore[endpoint] = true
+  return ignore
+end
+
+describe("Node Map", function()
+
+  local test_backend_single = get_test_backend_single()
+  local test_backend_multi = get_test_backend_multi()
+  local test_salt = test_backend_single.name
+  local test_nodes_single = util.get_nodes(test_backend_single.endpoints)
+  local test_nodes_multi = util.get_nodes(test_backend_multi.endpoints)
+  local test_endpoint1 = test_backend_multi.endpoints[1].address .. ":" .. test_backend_multi.endpoints[1].port
+  local test_endpoint2 = test_backend_multi.endpoints[2].address .. ":" .. test_backend_multi.endpoints[2].port
+  local test_nodes_ignore = get_test_nodes_ignore(test_endpoint1)
+
+  describe("new()", function()
+    context("when no salt has been provided", function()
+      it("random() returns an unsalted key", function()
+        local nodemap_instance = nodemap:new(test_nodes_single, nil)
+        local expected_endpoint = test_endpoint1
+        local expected_hash_key = ngx.md5(expected_endpoint)
+        local actual_endpoint
+        local actual_hash_key
+
+        actual_endpoint, actual_hash_key = nodemap_instance:random()
+
+        assert.equal(actual_endpoint, expected_endpoint)
+        assert.equal(expected_hash_key, actual_hash_key)
+      end)
+    end)
+
+    context("when a salt has been provided", function()
+      it("random() returns a salted key", function()
+        local nodemap_instance = nodemap:new(test_nodes_single, test_salt)
+        local expected_endpoint = test_endpoint1
+        local expected_hash_key = ngx.md5(test_salt .. expected_endpoint)
+        local actual_endpoint
+        local actual_hash_key
+
+        actual_endpoint, actual_hash_key = nodemap_instance:random()
+
+        assert.equal(actual_endpoint, expected_endpoint)
+        assert.equal(expected_hash_key, actual_hash_key)
+      end)
+    end)
+
+    context("when no nodes have been provided", function()
+      it("random() returns nil", function()
+        local nodemap_instance = nodemap:new({}, test_salt)
+        local actual_endpoint
+        local actual_hash_key
+
+        actual_endpoint, actual_hash_key = nodemap_instance:random()
+
+        assert.equal(actual_endpoint, nil)
+        assert.equal(expected_hash_key, nil)
+      end)
+    end)
+  end)
+
+  describe("find()", function()
+    before_each(function()
+      package.loaded["util.nodemap"] = nil
+      nodemap = require("util.nodemap")
+    end)
+
+    context("when a hash key is valid", function()
+      it("find() returns the correct endpoint", function()
+        local nodemap_instance = nodemap:new(test_nodes_single, test_salt)
+        local test_hash_key
+        local expected_endpoint
+        local actual_endpoint
+
+        expected_endpoint, test_hash_key = nodemap_instance:random()
+        assert.not_equal(expected_endpoint, nil)
+        assert.not_equal(test_hash_key, nil)
+
+        actual_endpoint = nodemap_instance:find(test_hash_key)
+        assert.equal(actual_endpoint, expected_endpoint)
+      end)
+    end)
+
+    context("when a hash key is invalid", function()
+      it("find() returns nil", function()
+        local nodemap_instance = nodemap:new(test_nodes_single, test_salt)
+        local test_hash_key = "invalid or nonexistent hash key"
+        local actual_endpoint
+
+        actual_endpoint = nodemap_instance:find(test_hash_key)
+
+        assert.equal(actual_endpoint, nil)
+      end)
+    end)
+  end)
+
+
+  describe("random_except()", function()
+    before_each(function()
+      package.loaded["util.nodemap"] = nil
+      nodemap = require("util.nodemap")
+    end)
+
+    context("when nothing has been excluded", function()
+      it("random_except() returns the correct endpoint", function()
+        local nodemap_instance = nodemap:new(test_nodes_single, test_salt)
+        local expected_endpoint = test_endpoint1
+        local test_hash_key
+        local actual_endpoint
+
+        actual_endpoint, test_hash_key = nodemap_instance:random_except({})
+        assert.equal(expected_endpoint, actual_endpoint)
+        assert.not_equal(test_hash_key, nil)
+      end)
+    end)
+
+    context("when everything has been excluded", function()
+      it("random_except() returns nil", function()
+        local nodemap_instance = nodemap:new(test_nodes_single, test_salt)
+        local actual_hash_key
+        local actual_endpoint
+
+        actual_endpoint, actual_hash_key = nodemap_instance:random_except(test_nodes_ignore)
+
+        assert.equal(actual_endpoint, nil)
+        assert.equal(actual_hash_key, nil)
+      end)
+    end)
+
+    context("when an endpoint has been excluded", function()
+      it("random_except() does not return it", function()
+        local nodemap_instance = nodemap:new(test_nodes_multi, test_salt)
+        local expected_endpoint = test_endpoint2
+        local actual_endpoint
+        local test_hash_key
+
+        actual_endpoint, test_hash_key = nodemap_instance:random_except(test_nodes_ignore)
+
+        assert.equal(actual_endpoint, expected_endpoint)
+        assert.not_equal(test_hash_key, nil)
+      end)
+    end)
+  end)
+end)
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/util/nodemap.lua b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/util/nodemap.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..04d034023
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/lua/util/nodemap.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+local math_random = require("math").random
+local util_tablelength = require("util").tablelength
+
+local _M = {}
+
+--- create_map generates the node hash table
+-- @tparam {[string]=number} nodes A table with the node as a key and its weight as a value.
+-- @tparam string salt A salt that will be used to generate salted hash keys.
+local function create_map(nodes, salt)
+  local hash_map = {}
+
+  for endpoint, _ in pairs(nodes) do
+    -- obfuscate the endpoint with a shared key to prevent brute force
+    -- and rainbow table attacks which could reveal internal endpoints
+    local key = salt .. endpoint
+    local hash_key = ngx.md5(key)
+    hash_map[hash_key] = endpoint
+  end
+
+  return hash_map
+end
+
+--- get_random_node picks a random node from the given map.
+-- @tparam {[string], ...} map A key to node hash table.
+-- @treturn string,string The node and its key
+local function get_random_node(map)
+  local size = util_tablelength(map)
+
+  if size < 1 then
+    return nil, nil
+  end
+
+  local index = math_random(1, size)
+  local count = 1
+
+  for key, endpoint in pairs(map) do
+      if count == index then
+        return endpoint, key
+      end
+
+      count = count + 1
+  end
+
+  ngx.log(ngx.ERR, string.format("Failed to find node %d of %d! This is a bug, please report!", index, size))
+
+  return nil, nil
+end
+
+--- new constructs a new instance of the node map
+--
+-- The map uses MD5 to create hash keys for a given node. For security reasons it supports
+-- salted hash keys, to prevent attackers from using rainbow tables or brute forcing
+-- the node endpoints, which would reveal cluster internal network information.
+--
+-- To make sure hash keys are reproducible on different ingress controller instances the salt
+-- needs to be shared and therefore is not simply generated randomly.
+--
+-- @tparam {[string]=number} endpoints A table with the node endpoint as a key and its weight as a value.
+-- @tparam[opt] string hash_salt A optional hash salt that will be used to obfuscate the hash key.
+function _M.new(self, endpoints, hash_salt)
+  if hash_salt == nil then
+    hash_salt = ''
+  end
+
+  -- the endpoints have to be saved as 'nodes' to keep compatibility to balancer.resty
+  local o = {
+    salt = hash_salt,
+    nodes = endpoints,
+    map = create_map(endpoints, hash_salt)
+  }
+
+  setmetatable(o, self)
+  self.__index = self
+  return o
+end
+
+--- reinit reinitializes the node map reusing the original salt
+-- @tparam {[string]=number} nodes A table with the node as a key and its weight as a value.
+function _M.reinit(self, nodes)
+  self.nodes = nodes
+  self.map = create_map(nodes, self.salt)
+end
+
+--- find looks up a node by hash key.
+-- @tparam string key The hash key.
+-- @treturn string The node.
+function _M.find(self, key)
+  return self.map[key]
+end
+
+--- random picks a random node from the hashmap.
+-- @treturn string,string A random node and its key or both nil.
+function _M.random(self)
+  return get_random_node(self.map)
+end
+
+--- random_except picks a random node from the hashmap, ignoring the nodes in the given table
+-- @tparam {string, } ignore_nodes A table of nodes to ignore, the node needs to be the key,
+--                                 the value needs to be set to true
+-- @treturn string,string A random node and its key or both nil.
+function _M.random_except(self, ignore_nodes)
+  local valid_nodes = {}
+
+  -- avoid generating the map if no ignores where provided
+  if ignore_nodes == nil or util_tablelength(ignore_nodes) == 0 then
+    return get_random_node(self.map)
+  end
+
+  -- generate valid endpoints
+  for key, endpoint in pairs(self.map) do
+      if not ignore_nodes[endpoint] then
+        valid_nodes[key] = endpoint
+      end
+  end
+
+  return get_random_node(valid_nodes)
+end
+
+return _M
diff --git a/test/manifests/configuration-a.json b/test/manifests/configuration-a.json
index 673b12696..fcd000ed1 100644
--- a/test/manifests/configuration-a.json
+++ b/test/manifests/configuration-a.json
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 		}],
 		"sessionAffinityConfig": {
 			"name": "",
+			"mode": "",
 			"cookieSessionAffinity": {
 				"name": ""
 			}
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@
 		}],
 		"sessionAffinityConfig": {
 			"name": "",
+			"mode": "",
 			"cookieSessionAffinity": {
 				"name": ""
 			}
@@ -191,6 +193,7 @@
 		}],
 		"sessionAffinityConfig": {
 			"name": "",
+			"mode": "",
 			"cookieSessionAffinity": {
 				"name": ""
 			}
diff --git a/test/manifests/configuration-b.json b/test/manifests/configuration-b.json
index 21a1cfc18..40a8d27a4 100644
--- a/test/manifests/configuration-b.json
+++ b/test/manifests/configuration-b.json
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 		}],
 		"sessionAffinityConfig": {
 			"name": "",
+			"mode": "",
 			"cookieSessionAffinity": {
 				"name": ""
 			}
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@
 		}],
 		"sessionAffinityConfig": {
 			"name": "",
+			"mode": "",
 			"cookieSessionAffinity": {
 				"name": ""
 			}
@@ -191,6 +193,7 @@
 		}],
 		"sessionAffinityConfig": {
 			"name": "",
+			"mode": "",
 			"cookieSessionAffinity": {
 				"name": ""
 			}