diff --git a/go/vt/vtorc/inst/shard_dao_test.go b/go/vt/vtorc/inst/shard_dao_test.go
index 8b096889851..2d35a63a6ce 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtorc/inst/shard_dao_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtorc/inst/shard_dao_test.go
@@ -109,6 +109,13 @@ func TestSaveReadAndDeleteShard(t *testing.T) {
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			require.Equal(t, []string{tt.shardName}, shardNames)
 
+			// ReadAllShardNames
+			allShardNames, err := ReadAllShardNames()
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			ksShards, found := allShardNames[tt.keyspaceName]
+			require.True(t, found)
+			require.Equal(t, []string{tt.shardName}, ksShards)
+
 			// DeleteShard
 			require.NoError(t, DeleteShard(tt.keyspaceName, tt.shardName))
 			_, _, err = ReadShardPrimaryInformation(tt.keyspaceName, tt.shardName)
diff --git a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/keyspace_shard_discovery.go b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/keyspace_shard_discovery.go
index 77f3930be1e..38903124b6d 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/keyspace_shard_discovery.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/keyspace_shard_discovery.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/stats"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/key"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/log"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo/topoproto"
@@ -108,6 +109,26 @@ func RefreshKeyspaceAndShard(keyspaceName string, shardName string) error {
 	return refreshShard(keyspaceName, shardName)
 }
 
+// shouldWatchShard returns true if a shard is within the shardsToWatch
+// ranges for it's keyspace.
+func shouldWatchShard(shard *topo.ShardInfo) bool {
+	if len(shardsToWatch) == 0 {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	watchRanges, found := shardsToWatch[shard.Keyspace()]
+	if !found {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, keyRange := range watchRanges {
+		if key.KeyRangeContainsKeyRange(keyRange, shard.GetKeyRange()) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // refreshKeyspace refreshes the keyspace's information for the given keyspace from the topo
 func refreshKeyspace(keyspaceName string) error {
 	refreshCtx, refreshCancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), topo.RemoteOperationTimeout)
@@ -149,10 +170,14 @@ func refreshAllShards(ctx context.Context, keyspaceName string) error {
 		log.Error(err)
 		return err
 	}
+
+	// save shards that should be watched.
 	savedShards := make(map[string]bool, len(shardInfos))
 	for _, shardInfo := range shardInfos {
-		err = inst.SaveShard(shardInfo)
-		if err != nil {
+		if !shouldWatchShard(shardInfo) {
+			continue
+		}
+		if err = inst.SaveShard(shardInfo); err != nil {
 			log.Error(err)
 			return err
 		}
@@ -171,8 +196,7 @@ func refreshAllShards(ctx context.Context, keyspaceName string) error {
 		}
 		shardName := topoproto.KeyspaceShardString(keyspaceName, shard)
 		log.Infof("Forgetting shard: %s", shardName)
-		err = inst.DeleteShard(keyspaceName, shard)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err = inst.DeleteShard(keyspaceName, shard); err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("Failed to delete shard %s: %+v", shardName, err)
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/keyspace_shard_discovery_test.go b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/keyspace_shard_discovery_test.go
index 42d0cdebbdf..10b53bf03a2 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtorc/logic/keyspace_shard_discovery_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtorc/logic/keyspace_shard_discovery_test.go
@@ -311,3 +311,44 @@ func verifyPrimaryAlias(t *testing.T, keyspaceName, shardName string, primaryAli
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, primaryAliasWanted, primaryAlias)
 }
+
+func TestRefreshAllShards(t *testing.T) {
+	// Store the old flags and restore on test completion
+	oldClustersToWatch := clustersToWatch
+	oldTs := ts
+	defer func() {
+		clustersToWatch = oldClustersToWatch
+		ts = oldTs
+		db.ClearVTOrcDatabase()
+	}()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	ts = memorytopo.NewServer(ctx, "zone1")
+	require.NoError(t, initializeShardsToWatch())
+	require.NoError(t, ts.CreateKeyspace(ctx, "ks1", keyspaceDurabilityNone))
+	shards := []string{"-40", "40-80", "80-c0", "c0-"}
+	for _, shard := range shards {
+		require.NoError(t, ts.CreateShard(ctx, "ks1", shard))
+	}
+
+	// test shard refresh
+	require.NoError(t, refreshAllShards(ctx, "ks1"))
+	shardNames, err := inst.ReadShardNames("ks1")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, []string{"-40", "40-80", "80-c0", "c0-"}, shardNames)
+
+	// test topo shard delete propagates
+	require.NoError(t, ts.DeleteShard(ctx, "ks1", "c0-"))
+	require.NoError(t, refreshAllShards(ctx, "ks1"))
+	shardNames, err = inst.ReadShardNames("ks1")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, []string{"-40", "40-80", "80-c0"}, shardNames)
+
+	// test clustersToWatch filters what shards are saved
+	clustersToWatch = []string{"ks1/-80"}
+	require.NoError(t, initializeShardsToWatch())
+	require.NoError(t, refreshAllShards(ctx, "ks1"))
+	shardNames, err = inst.ReadShardNames("ks1")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, []string{"-40", "40-80"}, shardNames)
+}