diff --git a/controlplane/src/gateway_controller.rs b/controlplane/src/gateway_controller.rs
index bf77704b..fda64cf3 100644
--- a/controlplane/src/gateway_controller.rs
+++ b/controlplane/src/gateway_controller.rs
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 use futures::StreamExt;
+use log::debug;
 use std::{
     ops::Sub,
     sync::Arc,
     time::{Duration, Instant},
 };
+use utils::set_condition;
 
 use crate::*;
 use gateway_api::apis::standard::gateways::{Gateway, GatewayStatus};
@@ -74,6 +76,14 @@ pub async fn reconcile(gateway: Arc<Gateway>, ctx: Arc<Context>) -> Result<Actio
         "found a supported GatewayClass: {:?}",
         gateway_class.name_any()
     );
+    // Only reconcile the Gateway object if our GatewayClass has already been accepted
+    if !gatewayclass_utils::is_accepted(&gateway_class) {
+        debug!(
+            "GatewayClass {:?} not yet accepted",
+            gateway_class.name_any()
+        );
+        return Ok(Action::await_change());
+    }
 
     set_listener_status(&mut gw)?;
     let accepted_cond = get_accepted_condition(&gw);
@@ -127,11 +137,11 @@ pub async fn reconcile(gateway: Arc<Gateway>, ctx: Arc<Context>) -> Result<Actio
         let updated = update_service_for_gateway(gateway.as_ref(), &mut service)?;
         if updated {
             info!("drift detected; updating loadbalancer service");
-            let patch_parmas = PatchParams::default();
+            let patch_params = PatchParams::default();
             service_api
                 .patch(
                     val.name_any().as_str(),
-                    &patch_parmas,
+                    &patch_params,
                     &Patch::Strategic(&service),
                 )
                 .await
diff --git a/controlplane/src/gateway_utils.rs b/controlplane/src/gateway_utils.rs
index 06432e7b..17cdd0cf 100644
--- a/controlplane/src/gateway_utils.rs
+++ b/controlplane/src/gateway_utils.rs
@@ -314,30 +314,6 @@ pub async fn patch_status(
     Ok(())
 }
 
-// Sets the provided condition on the Gateway object. The condition on the Gateway is only updated
-// if the new condition has a different status (except for the observed generation which is always
-// updated).
-pub fn set_condition(gateway: &mut Gateway, new_cond: metav1::Condition) {
-    if let Some(ref mut status) = gateway.status {
-        if let Some(ref mut conditions) = status.conditions {
-            for condition in conditions.iter_mut() {
-                if condition.type_ == new_cond.type_ {
-                    if condition.status == new_cond.status {
-                        // always update the observed generation
-                        condition.observed_generation = new_cond.observed_generation;
-                        return;
-                    }
-                    *condition = new_cond;
-                    return;
-                }
-            }
-            conditions.push(new_cond);
-        } else {
-            status.conditions = Some(vec![new_cond]);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 // Inspects the provided Gateway and returns a Condition of type "Accepted" with appropriate reason and status.
 // Ideally, this should be called after the Gateway object reflects the latest status of its
 // listeners.
diff --git a/controlplane/src/gatewayclass_controller.rs b/controlplane/src/gatewayclass_controller.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..767e8af1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/controlplane/src/gatewayclass_controller.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+use futures::StreamExt;
+use std::{
+    ops::Sub,
+    sync::Arc,
+    time::{Duration, Instant},
+};
+
+use crate::*;
+use gateway_api::apis::standard::gatewayclasses::GatewayClass;
+use kube::{
+    api::{Api, ListParams},
+    runtime::{controller::Action, watcher::Config, Controller},
+};
+
+use gatewayclass_utils::*;
+use tracing::*;
+
+pub async fn reconcile(gateway_class: Arc<GatewayClass>, ctx: Arc<Context>) -> Result<Action> {
+    let start = Instant::now();
+    let client = ctx.client.clone();
+    let name = gateway_class
+        .metadata
+        .name
+        .clone()
+        .ok_or(Error::InvalidConfigError("no name provided for gatewayclass".to_string()))?;
+
+    let mut gwc = GatewayClass {
+        metadata: gateway_class.metadata.clone(),
+        spec: gateway_class.spec.clone(),
+        status: gateway_class.status.clone(),
+        // NOTE: Am I missing anything else here?
+    };
+
+    if gateway_class.spec.controller_name != GATEWAY_CLASS_CONTROLLER_NAME {
+        // Skip reconciling because we don't manage this resource
+        return Ok(Action::await_change());
+    }
+
+    if !is_accepted(&gateway_class) {
+        info!("marking gateway class {:?} as accepted", name);
+        accept(&mut gwc);
+        let gatewayclass_api = Api::<GatewayClass>::all(client);
+        patch_status(&gatewayclass_api, name, &gwc.status.unwrap_or_default()).await?;
+    }
+
+    let duration = Instant::now().sub(start);
+    info!("finished reconciling in {:?} ms", duration.as_millis());
+    Ok(Action::await_change())
+}
+
+pub async fn controller(ctx: Context) -> Result<()> {
+    let gwc_api = Api::<GatewayClass>::all(ctx.client.clone());
+    gwc_api
+        .list(&ListParams::default().limit(1))
+        .await
+        .map_err(Error::CRDNotFoundError)?;
+
+    Controller::new(gwc_api, Config::default().any_semantic())
+        .shutdown_on_signal()
+        .run(reconcile, error_policy, Arc::new(ctx))
+        .filter_map(|x| async move { std::result::Result::ok(x) })
+        .for_each(|_| futures::future::ready(()))
+        .await;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn error_policy(_: Arc<GatewayClass>, error: &Error, _: Arc<Context>) -> Action {
+    warn!("reconcile failed: {:?}", error);
+    Action::requeue(Duration::from_secs(5))
+}
diff --git a/controlplane/src/gatewayclass_utils.rs b/controlplane/src/gatewayclass_utils.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ec2a771b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/controlplane/src/gatewayclass_utils.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+use crate::*;
+use gateway_api::apis::standard::{
+    constants::{GatewayConditionReason, GatewayConditionType},
+    gatewayclasses::{GatewayClass, GatewayClassStatus},
+};
+use k8s_openapi::apimachinery::pkg::apis::meta::v1 as metav1;
+
+use chrono::Utc;
+use kube::api::{Api, Patch, PatchParams};
+use serde_json::json;
+use utils::set_condition;
+
+pub fn is_accepted(gateway_class: &GatewayClass) -> bool {
+    let mut accepted = false;
+    if let Some(status) = &gateway_class.status {
+        if let Some(conditions) = &status.conditions {
+            for condition in conditions {
+                accepted = condition.type_ == GatewayConditionType::Accepted.to_string()
+                    && condition.status == "True"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    accepted
+}
+
+pub fn accept(gateway_class: &mut GatewayClass) {
+    let now = metav1::Time(Utc::now());
+    let accepted = metav1::Condition {
+        type_: GatewayConditionType::Accepted.to_string(),
+        status: String::from("True"),
+        reason: GatewayConditionReason::Accepted.to_string(),
+        observed_generation: gateway_class.metadata.generation,
+        last_transition_time: now,
+        message: String::from("Blixt accepts responsibility for this GatewayClass"),
+    };
+    set_condition(gateway_class, accepted);
+}
+
+pub async fn patch_status(
+    gatewayclass_api: &Api<GatewayClass>,
+    name: String,
+    status: &GatewayClassStatus,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    let mut conditions = &vec![];
+    if let Some(c) = status.conditions.as_ref() {
+        conditions = c;
+    }
+    let patch = Patch::Apply(json!({
+        "apiVersion": "gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1",
+        "kind": "GatewayClass",
+        "status": {
+            "conditions": conditions
+        }
+    }));
+    let params = PatchParams::apply(BLIXT_FIELD_MANAGER).force();
+    gatewayclass_api
+        .patch_status(name.as_str(), &params, &patch)
+        .await
+        .map_err(Error::KubeError)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/controlplane/src/lib.rs b/controlplane/src/lib.rs
index 63f8d6a2..4eff774d 100644
--- a/controlplane/src/lib.rs
+++ b/controlplane/src/lib.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ use thiserror::Error;
 
 pub mod gateway_controller;
 pub mod gateway_utils;
+pub mod gatewayclass_controller;
+pub mod gatewayclass_utils;
+mod traits;
+pub mod utils;
 
 // Context for our reconciler
 #[derive(Clone)]
diff --git a/controlplane/src/traits.rs b/controlplane/src/traits.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d3f6f728
--- /dev/null
+++ b/controlplane/src/traits.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+use gateway_api::apis::standard::{gatewayclasses::GatewayClass, gateways::Gateway};
+use k8s_openapi::apimachinery::pkg::apis::meta::v1 as metav1;
+
+pub trait HasConditions {
+    fn get_conditions_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Option<Vec<metav1::Condition>>;
+}
+
+impl HasConditions for Gateway {
+    fn get_conditions_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Option<Vec<metav1::Condition>> {
+        &mut self.status.as_mut().unwrap().conditions
+    }
+}
+
+impl HasConditions for GatewayClass {
+    fn get_conditions_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Option<Vec<metav1::Condition>> {
+        &mut self.status.as_mut().unwrap().conditions
+    }
+}
diff --git a/controlplane/src/utils.rs b/controlplane/src/utils.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8570b5a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/controlplane/src/utils.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+use crate::traits::HasConditions;
+use k8s_openapi::apimachinery::pkg::apis::meta::v1 as metav1;
+
+// Sets the provided condition on any Gateway API object so log as it implements
+// the HasConditions trait.
+//
+// The condition on the object is only updated
+// if the new condition has a different status (except for the observed generation which is always
+// updated).
+pub fn set_condition<T: HasConditions>(obj: &mut T, new_cond: metav1::Condition) {
+    if let Some(ref mut conditions) = obj.get_conditions_mut() {
+        for condition in conditions.iter_mut() {
+            if condition.type_ == new_cond.type_ {
+                if condition.status == new_cond.status {
+                    // always update the observed generation
+                    condition.observed_generation = new_cond.observed_generation;
+                    return;
+                }
+                *condition = new_cond;
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+        conditions.push(new_cond);
+    } else {
+        obj.get_conditions_mut().replace(vec![new_cond]);
+    }
+}