diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/dynamic/dynamic.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/dynamic/dynamic.go
index 393a205e16..b52c7c8528 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/dynamic/dynamic.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/dynamic/dynamic.go
@@ -286,7 +286,9 @@ func (b *backend) updateSink(oldSink, newSink *auditregv1alpha1.AuditSink) {
 		delete(delegates, oldSink.UID)
 		delegates[newSink.UID] = d
 		b.setDelegates(delegates)
-		oldDelegate.gracefulShutdown()
+
+		// graceful shutdown in goroutine as to not block
+		go oldDelegate.gracefulShutdown()
 	}
 
 	klog.V(2).Infof("Updated audit sink: %s", newSink.Name)
@@ -305,7 +307,9 @@ func (b *backend) deleteSink(sink *auditregv1alpha1.AuditSink) {
 	}
 	delete(delegates, sink.UID)
 	b.setDelegates(delegates)
-	delegate.gracefulShutdown()
+
+	// graceful shutdown in goroutine as to not block
+	go delegate.gracefulShutdown()
 	klog.V(2).Infof("Deleted audit sink: %s", sink.Name)
 	klog.V(2).Infof("Current audit sinks: %v", delegates.Names())
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/dynamic/dynamic_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/dynamic/dynamic_test.go
index 8b9c91407a..9f49929a7b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/dynamic/dynamic_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/plugin/pkg/audit/dynamic/dynamic_test.go
@@ -95,8 +95,24 @@ func TestDynamic(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	badURL := "http://badtest"
+	badConfig := &auditregv1alpha1.AuditSink{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+			Name: "bad",
+			UID:  types.UID("bad"),
+		},
+		Spec: auditregv1alpha1.AuditSinkSpec{
+			Policy: testPolicy,
+			Webhook: auditregv1alpha1.Webhook{
+				ClientConfig: auditregv1alpha1.WebhookClientConfig{
+					URL: &badURL,
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
 	config, stopChan := defaultTestConfig()
-	config.BufferedConfig.MaxBatchWait = 10 * time.Millisecond
+	config.BufferedConfig.MaxBatchSize = 1
 
 	b, err := NewBackend(config)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -108,7 +124,7 @@ func TestDynamic(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Len(t, d.GetDelegates(), 0)
 	})
 
-	t.Run("find one", func(t *testing.T) {
+	success := t.Run("find one", func(t *testing.T) {
 		d.addSink(testConfig1)
 		delegates := d.GetDelegates()
 		require.Len(t, delegates, 1)
@@ -120,8 +136,31 @@ func TestDynamic(t *testing.T) {
 		err := checkForEvent(eventList1, testEvent)
 		require.NoError(t, err, "unable to find events sent to sink")
 	})
+	require.True(t, success) // propagate failure
 
-	t.Run("find two", func(t *testing.T) {
+	// test that a bad webhook configuration can be recovered from
+	success = t.Run("bad config", func(t *testing.T) {
+		d.addSink(badConfig)
+		delegates := d.GetDelegates()
+		require.Len(t, delegates, 2)
+		require.Contains(t, delegates, types.UID("bad"))
+		require.Equal(t, badConfig, delegates["bad"].configuration)
+
+		// send events to the buffer
+		b.ProcessEvents(&testEvent, &testEvent)
+
+		// event is in the buffer see if the sink can be deleted
+		// this will hang and fail if not handled properly
+		d.deleteSink(badConfig)
+
+		delegates = d.GetDelegates()
+		require.Len(t, delegates, 1)
+		require.Contains(t, delegates, types.UID("test1"))
+		require.Equal(t, testConfig1, delegates["test1"].configuration)
+	})
+	require.True(t, success) // propagate failure
+
+	success = t.Run("find two", func(t *testing.T) {
 		eventList1.Store(auditinternal.EventList{})
 		d.addSink(testConfig2)
 		delegates := d.GetDelegates()
@@ -138,8 +177,9 @@ func TestDynamic(t *testing.T) {
 		err = checkForEvent(eventList2, testEvent)
 		require.NoError(t, err, "unable to find events sent to sink 2")
 	})
+	require.True(t, success) // propagate failure
 
-	t.Run("delete one", func(t *testing.T) {
+	success = t.Run("delete one", func(t *testing.T) {
 		eventList2.Store(auditinternal.EventList{})
 		d.deleteSink(testConfig1)
 		delegates := d.GetDelegates()
@@ -152,8 +192,9 @@ func TestDynamic(t *testing.T) {
 		err := checkForEvent(eventList2, testEvent)
 		require.NoError(t, err, "unable to find events sent to sink")
 	})
+	require.True(t, success) // propagate failure
 
-	t.Run("update one", func(t *testing.T) {
+	success = t.Run("update one", func(t *testing.T) {
 		eventList1.Store(auditinternal.EventList{})
 		oldConfig := *testConfig2
 		testConfig2.Spec.Webhook.ClientConfig.URL = &server1.URL
@@ -169,8 +210,9 @@ func TestDynamic(t *testing.T) {
 		err := checkForEvent(eventList1, testEvent)
 		require.NoError(t, err, "unable to find events sent to sink")
 	})
+	require.True(t, success) // propagate failure
 
-	t.Run("update meta only", func(t *testing.T) {
+	success = t.Run("update meta only", func(t *testing.T) {
 		eventList1.Store(auditinternal.EventList{})
 		oldConfig := *testConfig2
 		testConfig2.UID = types.UID("test2.2")
@@ -185,8 +227,9 @@ func TestDynamic(t *testing.T) {
 		err := checkForEvent(eventList1, testEvent)
 		require.NoError(t, err, "unable to find events sent to sink")
 	})
+	require.True(t, success) // propagate failure
 
-	t.Run("shutdown", func(t *testing.T) {
+	success = t.Run("shutdown", func(t *testing.T) {
 		// if the stop signal is not propagated correctly the buffers will not
 		// close down gracefully, and the shutdown method will hang causing
 		// the test will timeout.
@@ -211,6 +254,7 @@ func TestDynamic(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 		}
 	})
+	require.True(t, success) // propagate failure
 }
 
 // checkForEvent will poll to check for an audit event in an atomic event list