diff --git a/cmd/pkg/cli/start.go b/cmd/pkg/cli/start.go
index 6535753d..d09dba5a 100644
--- a/cmd/pkg/cli/start.go
+++ b/cmd/pkg/cli/start.go
@@ -135,9 +135,7 @@ func runStartCommand(config StartConfig) func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string)
 			if err := r.Watch(ctx); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			if err := r.Load(ctx); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+			r.Load(ctx)
 			go r.Reconcile(ctx)
 			return d.Run()
 		}
@@ -150,9 +148,7 @@ func runStartCommand(config StartConfig) func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string)
 		if err := r.Watch(ctx); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if err := r.Load(ctx); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		r.Load(ctx)
 		return r.Reconcile(ctx)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/chart/loader.go b/pkg/chart/loader.go
index 15214996..32212114 100644
--- a/pkg/chart/loader.go
+++ b/pkg/chart/loader.go
@@ -75,10 +75,6 @@ func (l *Loader) Load(ctx context.Context, charts ...*Chart) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if len(errs) > 0 {
-		loaded = nil
-	}
-
 	for _, id := range l.table.Keys() {
 		chrt := l.table.Lookup(id)
 		if chrt != nil && len(resource.Match(chrt, examples...)) > 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/runtime.go b/pkg/runtime/runtime.go
index a28ada65..cf91e907 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/runtime.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/runtime.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package runtime
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/gofrs/uuid"
@@ -114,10 +115,10 @@ func New(config Config) *Runtime {
 
 // Load loads symbols from the spec store into the symbol table.
 func (r *Runtime) Load(ctx context.Context) error {
-	if err := r.chartLoader.Load(ctx, &chart.Chart{Namespace: r.namespace}); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return r.symbolLoader.Load(ctx, &spec.Meta{Namespace: r.namespace})
+	var errs []error
+	errs = append(errs, r.chartLoader.Load(ctx, &chart.Chart{Namespace: r.namespace}))
+	errs = append(errs, r.symbolLoader.Load(ctx, &spec.Meta{Namespace: r.namespace}))
+	return errors.Join(errs...)
 }
 
 // Watch sets up watchers for specification and secret changes.
@@ -175,8 +176,6 @@ func (r *Runtime) Reconcile(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	unloaded := make(map[uuid.UUID]spec.Spec)
-
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
@@ -196,13 +195,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) Reconcile(ctx context.Context) error {
 				}
 			}
 
-			for _, sp := range specs {
-				if err := r.symbolLoader.Load(ctx, sp); err != nil {
-					unloaded[sp.GetID()] = sp
-				} else {
-					delete(unloaded, sp.GetID())
-				}
-			}
+			r.symbolLoader.Load(ctx, specs...)
 		case event, ok := <-secretStream.Next():
 			if !ok {
 				return nil
@@ -216,26 +209,15 @@ func (r *Runtime) Reconcile(ctx context.Context) error {
 				secrets = append(secrets, &secret.Secret{ID: event.ID})
 			}
 
-			bounded := make(map[uuid.UUID]spec.Spec)
+			var specs []spec.Spec
 			for _, id := range r.symbolTable.Keys() {
 				sb := r.symbolTable.Lookup(id)
 				if sb != nil && spec.IsBound(sb.Spec, secrets...) {
-					bounded[sb.ID()] = sb.Spec
-				}
-			}
-			for _, sp := range unloaded {
-				if spec.IsBound(sp, secrets...) {
-					bounded[sp.GetID()] = sp
+					specs = append(specs, sb.Spec)
 				}
 			}
 
-			for _, sp := range bounded {
-				if err := r.symbolLoader.Load(ctx, sp); err != nil {
-					unloaded[sp.GetID()] = sp
-				} else {
-					delete(unloaded, sp.GetID())
-				}
-			}
+			r.symbolLoader.Load(ctx, specs...)
 		case event, ok := <-chartStream.Next():
 			if !ok {
 				return nil
@@ -255,32 +237,20 @@ func (r *Runtime) Reconcile(ctx context.Context) error {
 				kinds = append(kinds, chrt.GetName())
 			}
 
-			bounded := make(map[uuid.UUID]spec.Spec)
+			var specs []spec.Spec
 			for _, id := range r.symbolTable.Keys() {
 				sb := r.symbolTable.Lookup(id)
 				if sb != nil && slices.Contains(kinds, sb.Kind()) {
-					bounded[sb.ID()] = sb.Spec
-				}
-			}
-			for _, sp := range unloaded {
-				if slices.Contains(kinds, sp.GetKind()) {
-					bounded[sp.GetID()] = sp
+					specs = append(specs, sb.Spec)
 				}
 			}
 
-			for _, sp := range bounded {
+			for _, sp := range specs {
 				r.symbolTable.Free(sp.GetID())
 			}
 
 			r.chartLoader.Load(ctx, &chart.Chart{ID: event.ID})
-
-			for _, sp := range bounded {
-				if err := r.symbolLoader.Load(ctx, sp); err != nil {
-					unloaded[sp.GetID()] = sp
-				} else {
-					delete(unloaded, sp.GetID())
-				}
-			}
+			r.symbolLoader.Load(ctx, specs...)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/symbol/loader.go b/pkg/symbol/loader.go
index 92db6932..e57c8472 100644
--- a/pkg/symbol/loader.go
+++ b/pkg/symbol/loader.go
@@ -80,43 +80,30 @@ func (l *Loader) Load(ctx context.Context, specs ...spec.Spec) error {
 	var symbols []*Symbol
 	var errs []error
 	for _, sp := range specs {
-		bind, err := spec.Bind(sp, secrets...)
-		if err != nil {
+		if bind, err := spec.Bind(sp, secrets...); err != nil {
 			errs = append(errs, err)
-			continue
-		}
-
-		decode, err := l.scheme.Decode(bind)
-		if err != nil {
+		} else if decode, err := l.scheme.Decode(bind); err != nil {
 			errs = append(errs, err)
-			continue
+		} else if decode != nil {
+			sp = decode
 		}
 
-		sb := l.table.Lookup(decode.GetID())
-		if sb == nil || !reflect.DeepEqual(sb.Spec, decode) {
-			n, err := l.scheme.Compile(decode)
+		sb := l.table.Lookup(sp.GetID())
+		if sb == nil || !reflect.DeepEqual(sb.Spec, sp) {
+			n, err := l.scheme.Compile(sp)
 			if err != nil {
 				errs = append(errs, err)
-				continue
 			}
 
-			sb = &Symbol{Spec: decode, Node: n}
+			sb = &Symbol{Spec: sp, Node: n}
 			if err := l.table.Insert(sb); err != nil {
 				errs = append(errs, err)
-				continue
 			}
 		}
 
 		symbols = append(symbols, sb)
 	}
 
-	if len(errs) > 0 {
-		for _, sb := range symbols {
-			sb.Close()
-		}
-		symbols = nil
-	}
-
 	for _, id := range l.table.Keys() {
 		sb := l.table.Lookup(id)
 		if sb != nil && len(resource.Match(sb.Spec, examples...)) > 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/symbol/loader_test.go b/pkg/symbol/loader_test.go
index cc055022..34ba120f 100644
--- a/pkg/symbol/loader_test.go
+++ b/pkg/symbol/loader_test.go
@@ -242,6 +242,5 @@ func TestLoader_Load(t *testing.T) {
 
 		err := loader.Load(ctx, meta)
 		assert.Error(t, err)
-		assert.Nil(t, table.Lookup(meta.GetID()))
 	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/symbol/symbol.go b/pkg/symbol/symbol.go
index 2fc5b872..6b973dfe 100644
--- a/pkg/symbol/symbol.go
+++ b/pkg/symbol/symbol.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func (s *Symbol) In(name string) *port.InPort {
 	}
 
 	p, ok := s.ins[name]
-	if !ok {
+	if !ok && s.Node != nil {
 		if p = s.Node.In(name); p != nil {
 			s.ins[name] = p
 		}
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (s *Symbol) Out(name string) *port.OutPort {
 	}
 
 	p, ok := s.outs[name]
-	if !ok {
+	if !ok && s.Node != nil {
 		if p = s.Node.Out(name); p != nil {
 			s.outs[name] = p
 		}
@@ -123,5 +123,8 @@ func (s *Symbol) Close() error {
 	s.ins = nil
 	s.outs = nil
 
+	if s.Node == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return s.Node.Close()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/symbol/table.go b/pkg/symbol/table.go
index 26ef2591..762eae2f 100644
--- a/pkg/symbol/table.go
+++ b/pkg/symbol/table.go
@@ -405,6 +405,10 @@ func (t *Table) active(sb *Symbol) bool {
 		}
 		visited[curr] = struct{}{}
 
+		if curr.Node == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+
 		for _, ports := range curr.Ports() {
 			for _, port := range ports {
 				id := port.ID