diff --git a/deploy.py b/deploy.py
index 57585f423..b32a3ed42 100755
--- a/deploy.py
+++ b/deploy.py
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ def cluster_exists(cluster_name):
 def handle_helm():
     if args.uninstall:
         subprocess.run(['helm', 'uninstall', HELM_RELEASE_NAME], check=True)
+        subprocess.run(['kubectl', 'delete','namespace','loculus'], check=True)
+
         return
 
     if args.branch:
@@ -129,6 +131,7 @@ def handle_helm():
         '--set', f"branch={branch}",
         '--set', f"dockerconfigjson={docker_config_json}",
         '--namespace', 'loculus',
+        '--create-namespace'
     ]
 
     if args.dev:
diff --git a/kubernetes/loculus/templates/namespace.yaml b/kubernetes/loculus/templates/namespace.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 3c2b2333a..000000000
--- a/kubernetes/loculus/templates/namespace.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: v1
-kind: Namespace
-metadata:
-  name: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
\ No newline at end of file