diff --git a/kong/runloop/events.lua b/kong/runloop/events.lua
index d3b88fff1e4a..ab982cf1fae2 100644
--- a/kong/runloop/events.lua
+++ b/kong/runloop/events.lua
@@ -312,23 +312,25 @@ local function crud_wasm_handler(data, schema_name)
     return
   end
 
+  local updated = false
+
+  -- always invalidate for filter_chain entity changes
+  if schema_name == "filter_chains" then
+    updated = true
+
   -- cache is invalidated on service/route deletion to ensure we don't
   -- have oprhaned filter chain data cached
-  local is_delete = data.operation == "delete"
-               and (schema_name == "services"
-                    or schema_name == "routes")
+  elseif schema_name == "services" or schema_name == "routes"
+    updated = data.operation == "delete"
 
-  local is_filter_plugin = false
-  if schema_name == "plugins" then
+  -- invalidate for changes to wasm filter plugin entities
+  elseif schema_name == "plugins" then
     local new_name = data.entity.name
     local old_name = data.old_entity and data.old_entity.name
-    is_filter_plugin = (new_name and wasm.filters_by_name[new_name]) or
-                       (old_name and wasm.filters_by_name[old_name])
+    updated = (new_name and wasm.filters_by_name[new_name]) or
+              (old_name and wasm.filters_by_name[old_name])
   end
 
-  local updated = schema_name == "filter_chains" or is_delete or is_filter_plugin
-
-
   if updated then
     log(DEBUG, "[events] wasm filter chains updated, invalidating cache")
     core_cache:invalidate("filter_chains:version")