diff --git a/training-portal/src/project/apps/workshops/manager/portal.py b/training-portal/src/project/apps/workshops/manager/portal.py
index d7318f4e..e5900f5d 100644
--- a/training-portal/src/project/apps/workshops/manager/portal.py
+++ b/training-portal/src/project/apps/workshops/manager/portal.py
@@ -116,8 +116,12 @@ def workshop_configuration(portal, workshop):
     workshop["capacity"] = max(0, workshop["capacity"])
     workshop["reserved"] = max(0, min(workshop["reserved"], workshop["capacity"]))
 
+    # Note that it is okay that initial is greater than reserved. In this
+    # case application of reserved limit will only be applied after those
+    # initial sessions has been used up.
+
     workshop["initial"] = max(0, min(workshop["initial"], workshop["capacity"]))
-    workshop["initial"] = min(workshop["initial"], workshop["reserved"])
+    workshop["initial"] = max(workshop["initial"], workshop["reserved"])
 
     workshop.setdefault("expires", portal.default_expires)
     workshop.setdefault("orphaned", portal.default_orphaned)
diff --git a/training-portal/src/project/apps/workshops/manager/sessions.py b/training-portal/src/project/apps/workshops/manager/sessions.py
index ab025e8f..399aa47e 100644
--- a/training-portal/src/project/apps/workshops/manager/sessions.py
+++ b/training-portal/src/project/apps/workshops/manager/sessions.py
@@ -332,6 +332,20 @@ def terminate_reserved_sessions(portal):
     # they are over what is allowed for that workshop environment.
 
     for environment in portal.running_environments():
+        # If initial number of sessions is greater than reserved sessions then
+        # don't reconcile until after number of sessions would fall below the
+        # required reserved number. Note that this doesn't really deal properly
+        # with where sessions are purged after some time and so count of all
+        # sessions drops back to zero. Should really look at number of sessions
+        # created over time, rather than how many exist right now.
+
+        if environment.initial > environment.reserved:
+            excess = environment.initial - environment.reserved
+            if environment.all_sessions_count() < excess:
+                continue
+            if environment.available_sessions_count() > environment.reserved:
+                continue
+
         excess = max(0, environment.available_sessions_count() - environment.reserved)
 
         for session in islice(environment.available_sessions(), 0, excess):