diff --git a/changelog.d/+scaledown-prep.internal.md b/changelog.d/+scaledown-prep.internal.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..32843a86a5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/+scaledown-prep.internal.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Updated `RolloutSpec` and operator setup.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/mirrord/kube/src/api/kubernetes/rollout.rs b/mirrord/kube/src/api/kubernetes/rollout.rs
index a99805df574..0b8b329ec22 100644
--- a/mirrord/kube/src/api/kubernetes/rollout.rs
+++ b/mirrord/kube/src/api/kubernetes/rollout.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ pub struct RolloutStatus {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Default)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct RolloutSpec {
+    pub replicas: Option<i32>,
     pub selector: LabelSelector,
     #[serde(deserialize_with = "rollout_pod_spec")]
     pub template: Option<PodTemplateSpec>,
diff --git a/mirrord/operator/src/setup.rs b/mirrord/operator/src/setup.rs
index d100a228122..7df50e33422 100644
--- a/mirrord/operator/src/setup.rs
+++ b/mirrord/operator/src/setup.rs
@@ -539,29 +539,22 @@ impl OperatorRole {
                 verbs: vec!["list".to_owned(), "get".to_owned()],
                 ..Default::default()
             },
+            // Allow for patching replicas and environment variables.
+            PolicyRule {
+                api_groups: Some(vec!["apps".to_owned()]),
+                resources: Some(vec!["deployments".to_owned(), "statefulsets".to_owned()]),
+                verbs: vec!["patch".to_owned()],
+                ..Default::default()
+            },
+            // Allow for patching replicas and environment variables.
+            PolicyRule {
+                api_groups: Some(vec!["argoproj.io".to_owned()]),
+                resources: Some(vec!["rollouts".to_owned()]),
+                verbs: vec!["patch".to_owned()],
+                ..Default::default()
+            },
         ];
 
-        if sqs_splitting || kafka_splitting {
-            rules.extend([
-                // For SQS/Kafka controller to temporarily change deployments to use changed
-                // queues.
-                PolicyRule {
-                    api_groups: Some(vec!["apps".to_owned()]),
-                    resources: Some(vec!["deployments".to_owned()]),
-                    verbs: vec!["patch".to_owned()],
-                    ..Default::default()
-                },
-                // For SQS/Kafka controller to temporarily change Argo Rollouts to use changed
-                // queues.
-                PolicyRule {
-                    api_groups: Some(vec!["argoproj.io".to_owned()]),
-                    resources: Some(vec!["rollouts".to_owned()]),
-                    verbs: vec!["patch".to_owned()],
-                    ..Default::default()
-                },
-            ]);
-        }
-
         if kafka_splitting {
             rules.extend([
                 PolicyRule {