diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e082d4dda..ebeee06ad 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ STACK=prod python -m workers.webhookworker -D
 bouncing the servers:
 
 ```
-sudo kill -HUP <pid of nginx>
+sudo kill -HUP `cat /mnt/logs/nginx.pid`
 kill -HUP `cat /mnt/logs/gunicorn.pid`
 
 kill <pids of worker daemons>
diff --git a/conf/logrotate/quay-logrotate b/conf/logrotate/quay-logrotate
index 313cdea13..79fdc377d 100644
--- a/conf/logrotate/quay-logrotate
+++ b/conf/logrotate/quay-logrotate
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
   missingok
   notifempty
   create 644 root root
+
+  postrotate
+    [ ! -f /var/run/nginx.pid ] || kill -USR1 `cat /mnt/logs/nginx.pid`
+  endscript
 }
 
 /mnt/logs/nginx.error.log {
@@ -16,6 +20,10 @@
   missingok
   notifempty
   create 644 root root
+
+  postrotate
+    [ ! -f /var/run/nginx.pid ] || kill -USR1 `cat /mnt/logs/nginx.pid`
+  endscript
 }
 
 /mnt/logs/application.log {
@@ -25,9 +33,9 @@
   delaycompress
   missingok
   notifempty
-  create 644 root root
+  create 644 ubuntu ubuntu
 
   postrotate
-    kill -USR1 `cat /mnt/logs/gunicorn.pid`
+    [ ! -f /var/run/nginx.pid ] || kill -USR1 `cat /mnt/logs/gunicorn.pid`
   endscript
 }
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