diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/openanalytics/containerproxy/backend/kubernetes/KubernetesBackend.java b/src/main/java/eu/openanalytics/containerproxy/backend/kubernetes/KubernetesBackend.java
index 120504e4..373f53f9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/openanalytics/containerproxy/backend/kubernetes/KubernetesBackend.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/openanalytics/containerproxy/backend/kubernetes/KubernetesBackend.java
@@ -268,8 +268,11 @@ protected Container startContainer(ContainerSpec spec, Proxy proxy) throws Excep
 		
 		Pod startedPod = kubeClient.pods().inNamespace(effectiveKubeNamespace).create(patchedPod);
 		
-		// Workaround: waitUntilReady appears to be buggy.
-		Retrying.retry(i -> Readiness.isReady(kubeClient.resource(startedPod).fromServer().get()), 60, 1000);
+		int totalWaitMs = Integer.parseInt(environment.getProperty("proxy.container-wait-time", "20000"));
+		Retrying.retry(i -> Readiness.isReady(kubeClient.resource(startedPod).fromServer().get()), totalWaitMs / 1000, 1000);
+		if (!Readiness.isReady(kubeClient.resource(startedPod).fromServer().get())) {
+			throw new ContainerProxyException("Container did not become ready in time");
+		}
 		Pod pod = kubeClient.resource(startedPod).fromServer().get();
 		
 		Service service = null;