diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 27cb2e5b3..11ad33f6f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ All subsequent `kubectl` commands will work with the `test` namespace. The opera
 
 Watching a namespace for an operator means tracking requests to change Postgresql clusters in the namespace such as "increase the number of Postgresql replicas to 5" and reacting to the requests, in this example by actually scaling up. 
 
-By default, the operator watches the namespace it is deployed to. You can change this by altering the `WATCHED_NAMESPACE` env var in the operator deployment manifest or the `watched_namespace` field in the operator configmap. In the case both are set, the env var takes the precedence.
+By default, the operator watches the namespace it is deployed to. You can change this by altering the `WATCHED_NAMESPACE` env var in the operator deployment manifest or the `watched_namespace` field in the operator configmap. In the case both are set, the env var takes the precedence. To make the operator listen to all namespaces, explicitly set the field/env var to "`*`".
 
 Note that for an operator to manage pods in the watched namespace, the operator's service account (as specified in the operator deployment manifest) has to have appropriate privileges to access the watched namespace. The watched namespace also needs to have a (possibly different) service account in the case database pods need to talk to the Kubernetes API (e.g. when using Kubernetes-native configuration of Patroni).
 
diff --git a/manifests/configmap.yaml b/manifests/configmap.yaml
index 5afc7db31..cc0af9fe0 100644
--- a/manifests/configmap.yaml
+++ b/manifests/configmap.yaml
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ kind: ConfigMap
 metadata:
   name: postgres-operator
 data:
-  # assumes the ns exists before the operator starts
-  # the env var with the same name may overwrite it in the operator pod
+  # the env var with the same name in the operator pod may overwrite this value
+  # if neither is set or evaluates to the empty string, listen to the operator's own namespace
+  # if set to the "*", listen to all namespaces
   # watched_namespace: development
   service_account_name: operator
   cluster_labels: application:spilo
diff --git a/manifests/postgres-operator.yaml b/manifests/postgres-operator.yaml
index 84c4a0770..8e4425637 100644
--- a/manifests/postgres-operator.yaml
+++ b/manifests/postgres-operator.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ spec:
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         env:
         # uncomment to overwrite a similar setting from operator configmap
+        # if set to the empty string, watch the operator's own namespace
+        # if set to the "*", listen to all namespaces
         # - name: WATCHED_NAMESPACE
         #  valueFrom:
         #    fieldRef:
diff --git a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
index 2b0b2f98e..8c01edeac 100644
--- a/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
+++ b/pkg/apiserver/apiserver.go
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ type controllerInformer interface {
 	GetOperatorConfig() *config.Config
 	GetStatus() *spec.ControllerStatus
 	TeamClusterList() map[string][]spec.NamespacedName
-	ClusterStatus(team, cluster string) (*spec.ClusterStatus, error)
-	ClusterLogs(team, cluster string) ([]*spec.LogEntry, error)
-	ClusterHistory(team, cluster string) ([]*spec.Diff, error)
+	ClusterStatus(team, namespace, cluster string) (*spec.ClusterStatus, error)
+	ClusterLogs(team, namespace, cluster string) ([]*spec.LogEntry, error)
+	ClusterHistory(team, namespace, cluster string) ([]*spec.Diff, error)
 	ClusterDatabasesMap() map[string][]string
 	WorkerLogs(workerID uint32) ([]*spec.LogEntry, error)
 	ListQueue(workerID uint32) (*spec.QueueDump, error)
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ type Server struct {
 }
 
 var (
-	clusterStatusURL     = regexp.MustCompile(`^/clusters/(?P<team>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*)/(?P<cluster>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9-]*)/?$`)
-	clusterLogsURL       = regexp.MustCompile(`^/clusters/(?P<team>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*)/(?P<cluster>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9-]*)/logs/?$`)
-	clusterHistoryURL    = regexp.MustCompile(`^/clusters/(?P<team>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*)/(?P<cluster>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9-]*)/history/?$`)
+	clusterStatusURL     = regexp.MustCompile(`^/clusters/(?P<team>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*)/(?P<namespace>[a-z0-9]([-a-z0-9]*[a-z0-9])?)/(?P<cluster>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9-]*)/?$`)
+	clusterLogsURL       = regexp.MustCompile(`^/clusters/(?P<team>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*)/(?P<namespace>[a-z0-9]([-a-z0-9]*[a-z0-9])?)/(?P<cluster>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9-]*)/logs/?$`)
+	clusterHistoryURL    = regexp.MustCompile(`^/clusters/(?P<team>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*)/(?P<namespace>[a-z0-9]([-a-z0-9]*[a-z0-9])?)/(?P<cluster>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9-]*)/history/?$`)
 	teamURL              = regexp.MustCompile(`^/clusters/(?P<team>[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*)/?$`)
 	workerLogsURL        = regexp.MustCompile(`^/workers/(?P<id>\d+)/logs/?$`)
 	workerEventsQueueURL = regexp.MustCompile(`^/workers/(?P<id>\d+)/queue/?$`)
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ func (s *Server) clusters(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 	)
 
 	if matches := util.FindNamedStringSubmatch(clusterStatusURL, req.URL.Path); matches != nil {
-		resp, err = s.controller.ClusterStatus(matches["team"], matches["cluster"])
+		namespace, _ := matches["namespace"]
+		resp, err = s.controller.ClusterStatus(matches["team"], namespace, matches["cluster"])
 	} else if matches := util.FindNamedStringSubmatch(teamURL, req.URL.Path); matches != nil {
 		teamClusters := s.controller.TeamClusterList()
 		clusters, found := teamClusters[matches["team"]]
@@ -166,9 +167,11 @@ func (s *Server) clusters(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 		s.respond(clusterNames, nil, w)
 		return
 	} else if matches := util.FindNamedStringSubmatch(clusterLogsURL, req.URL.Path); matches != nil {
-		resp, err = s.controller.ClusterLogs(matches["team"], matches["cluster"])
+		namespace, _ := matches["namespace"]
+		resp, err = s.controller.ClusterLogs(matches["team"], namespace, matches["cluster"])
 	} else if matches := util.FindNamedStringSubmatch(clusterHistoryURL, req.URL.Path); matches != nil {
-		resp, err = s.controller.ClusterHistory(matches["team"], matches["cluster"])
+		namespace, _ := matches["namespace"]
+		resp, err = s.controller.ClusterHistory(matches["team"], namespace, matches["cluster"])
 	} else if req.URL.Path == clustersURL {
 		res := make(map[string][]string)
 		for team, clusters := range s.controller.TeamClusterList() {
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
index 19d8b6048..6dcf92eed 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ func (c *Cluster) clusterName() spec.NamespacedName {
 	return util.NameFromMeta(c.ObjectMeta)
 }
 
+func (c *Cluster) clusterNamespace() string {
+	return c.ObjectMeta.Namespace
+}
+
 func (c *Cluster) teamName() string {
 	// TODO: check Teams API for the actual name (in case the user passes an integer Id).
 	return c.Spec.TeamID
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/resources.go b/pkg/cluster/resources.go
index 4f770aaff..16d27b14b 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/resources.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/resources.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) preScaleDown(newStatefulSet *v1beta1.StatefulSet) error {
 	}
 
 	podName := fmt.Sprintf("%s-0", c.Statefulset.Name)
-	masterCandidatePod, err := c.KubeClient.Pods(c.OpConfig.WatchedNamespace).Get(podName, metav1.GetOptions{})
+	masterCandidatePod, err := c.KubeClient.Pods(c.clusterNamespace()).Get(podName, metav1.GetOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not get master candidate pod: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/sync.go b/pkg/cluster/sync.go
index 864f2a833..26388eede 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/sync.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) Sync(newSpec *spec.Postgresql) (err error) {
 
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
+			c.logger.Warningf("error while syncing cluster state: %v", err)
 			c.setStatus(spec.ClusterStatusSyncFailed)
 		} else if c.Status != spec.ClusterStatusRunning {
 			c.setStatus(spec.ClusterStatusRunning)
diff --git a/pkg/controller/controller.go b/pkg/controller/controller.go
index ac58db342..d19da5b84 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/controller.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/zalando-incubator/postgres-operator/pkg/apiserver"
 	"github.com/zalando-incubator/postgres-operator/pkg/cluster"
 	"github.com/zalando-incubator/postgres-operator/pkg/spec"
+	"github.com/zalando-incubator/postgres-operator/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/zalando-incubator/postgres-operator/pkg/util/config"
 	"github.com/zalando-incubator/postgres-operator/pkg/util/constants"
 	"github.com/zalando-incubator/postgres-operator/pkg/util/k8sutil"
@@ -97,17 +98,7 @@ func (c *Controller) initOperatorConfig() {
 		c.logger.Infoln("no ConfigMap specified. Loading default values")
 	}
 
-	// env var takes priority over the same param from the operator ConfigMap
-	watchedNamespace := os.Getenv("WATCHED_NAMESPACE")
-	if watchedNamespace != "" {
-		c.logger.Infof("Watch the %q namespace specified in the env variable WATCHED_NAMESPACE\n", watchedNamespace)
-		configMapData["watched_namespace"] = watchedNamespace
-	}
-
-	if configMapData["watched_namespace"] == "" {
-		c.logger.Infof("No namespace to watch specified. By convention, the operator falls back to watching the namespace it is deployed to: '%v' \n", spec.GetOperatorNamespace())
-		configMapData["watched_namespace"] = spec.GetOperatorNamespace()
-	}
+	configMapData["watched_namespace"] = c.getEffectiveNamespace(os.Getenv("WATCHED_NAMESPACE"), configMapData["watched_namespace"])
 
 	if c.config.NoDatabaseAccess {
 		configMapData["enable_database_access"] = "false"
@@ -127,6 +118,7 @@ func (c *Controller) initOperatorConfig() {
 func (c *Controller) initController() {
 	c.initClients()
 	c.initOperatorConfig()
+
 	c.initSharedInformers()
 
 	c.logger.Infof("config: %s", c.opConfig.MustMarshal())
@@ -256,3 +248,25 @@ func (c *Controller) kubeNodesInformer(stopCh <-chan struct{}, wg *sync.WaitGrou
 
 	c.nodesInformer.Run(stopCh)
 }
+
+func (c *Controller) getEffectiveNamespace(namespaceFromEnvironment, namespaceFromConfigMap string) string {
+
+	namespace := util.Coalesce(namespaceFromEnvironment, util.Coalesce(namespaceFromConfigMap, spec.GetOperatorNamespace()))
+
+	if namespace == "*" {
+
+		namespace = v1.NamespaceAll
+		c.logger.Infof("Listening to all namespaces")
+
+	} else {
+
+		if _, err := c.KubeClient.Namespaces().Get(namespace, metav1.GetOptions{}); err != nil {
+			c.logger.Fatalf("Could not find the watched namespace %q", namespace)
+		} else {
+			c.logger.Infof("Listenting to the specific namespace %q", namespace)
+		}
+
+	}
+
+	return namespace
+}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/status.go b/pkg/controller/status.go
index 6aef0347c..73f25f697 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/status.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/status.go
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 // ClusterStatus provides status of the cluster
-func (c *Controller) ClusterStatus(team, cluster string) (*spec.ClusterStatus, error) {
+func (c *Controller) ClusterStatus(team, namespace, cluster string) (*spec.ClusterStatus, error) {
+
 	clusterName := spec.NamespacedName{
-		Namespace: c.opConfig.WatchedNamespace,
+		Namespace: namespace,
 		Name:      team + "-" + cluster,
 	}
 
@@ -90,9 +91,10 @@ func (c *Controller) GetStatus() *spec.ControllerStatus {
 }
 
 // ClusterLogs dumps cluster ring logs
-func (c *Controller) ClusterLogs(team, name string) ([]*spec.LogEntry, error) {
+func (c *Controller) ClusterLogs(team, namespace, name string) ([]*spec.LogEntry, error) {
+
 	clusterName := spec.NamespacedName{
-		Namespace: c.opConfig.WatchedNamespace,
+		Namespace: namespace,
 		Name:      team + "-" + name,
 	}
 
@@ -212,9 +214,10 @@ func (c *Controller) WorkerStatus(workerID uint32) (*spec.WorkerStatus, error) {
 }
 
 // ClusterHistory dumps history of cluster changes
-func (c *Controller) ClusterHistory(team, name string) ([]*spec.Diff, error) {
+func (c *Controller) ClusterHistory(team, namespace, name string) ([]*spec.Diff, error) {
+
 	clusterName := spec.NamespacedName{
-		Namespace: c.opConfig.WatchedNamespace,
+		Namespace: namespace,
 		Name:      team + "-" + name,
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/config/config.go b/pkg/util/config/config.go
index 3253d6288..2c83b36b3 100644
--- a/pkg/util/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/util/config/config.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Resources
 	Auth
 	Scalyr
-	WatchedNamespace         string            `name:"watched_namespace"`
+	WatchedNamespace         string            `name:"watched_namespace"` // special values: "*" means 'watch all namespaces', the empty string "" means 'watch a namespace where operator is deployed to'
 	EtcdHost                 string            `name:"etcd_host" default:"etcd-client.default.svc.cluster.local:2379"`
 	DockerImage              string            `name:"docker_image" default:"registry.opensource.zalan.do/acid/spiloprivate-9.6:1.2-p4"`
 	ServiceAccountName       string            `name:"service_account_name" default:"operator"`
diff --git a/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go b/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
index 5db47c76b..1e50bd034 100644
--- a/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
+++ b/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ type KubernetesClient struct {
 	v1core.PersistentVolumeClaimsGetter
 	v1core.ConfigMapsGetter
 	v1core.NodesGetter
+	v1core.NamespacesGetter
 	v1core.ServiceAccountsGetter
 	v1beta1.StatefulSetsGetter
 	policyv1beta1.PodDisruptionBudgetsGetter
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ func NewFromConfig(cfg *rest.Config) (KubernetesClient, error) {
 	kubeClient.PersistentVolumeClaimsGetter = client.CoreV1()
 	kubeClient.PersistentVolumesGetter = client.CoreV1()
 	kubeClient.NodesGetter = client.CoreV1()
+	kubeClient.NamespacesGetter = client.CoreV1()
 	kubeClient.StatefulSetsGetter = client.AppsV1beta1()
 	kubeClient.PodDisruptionBudgetsGetter = client.PolicyV1beta1()
 	kubeClient.RESTClient = client.CoreV1().RESTClient()
diff --git a/pkg/util/util.go b/pkg/util/util.go
index c003ef477..b1b3d91b3 100644
--- a/pkg/util/util.go
+++ b/pkg/util/util.go
@@ -119,3 +119,10 @@ func MapContains(haystack, needle map[string]string) bool {
 
 	return true
 }
+
+func Coalesce(val, defaultVal string) string {
+	if val == "" {
+		return defaultVal
+	}
+	return val
+}