diff --git a/pkg/types/conf.go b/pkg/types/conf.go
index 8295bd9c6..7fba78ebf 100644
--- a/pkg/types/conf.go
+++ b/pkg/types/conf.go
@@ -615,6 +615,21 @@ func CheckSystemNamespaces(namespace string, systemNamespaces []string) bool {
 
 // GetReadinessIndicatorFile waits for readinessIndicatorFile
 func GetReadinessIndicatorFile(readinessIndicatorFile string) error {
+	// Quick first backoff up to ~1 second
+	backoff := utilwait.Backoff{
+		Steps:    5,
+		Duration: 75 * time.Millisecond,
+		Factor:   2.0,
+		Jitter:   0.1,
+	}
+	if utilwait.ExponentialBackoff(backoff, func() (bool, error) {
+		_, err := os.Stat(readinessIndicatorFile)
+		return err == nil, nil
+	}) == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Otherwise wait a longer time until the file exists
 	pollDuration := 1000 * time.Millisecond
 	pollTimeout := 45 * time.Second
 	return utilwait.PollImmediate(pollDuration, pollTimeout, func() (bool, error) {