diff --git a/cluster/gce/configure-vm.sh b/cluster/gce/configure-vm.sh
index d7c9b0da67f..60ddec49570 100755
--- a/cluster/gce/configure-vm.sh
+++ b/cluster/gce/configure-vm.sh
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ function ensure-basic-networking() {
     echo 'Waiting for functional DNS (trying to resolve metadata.google.internal)...'
     sleep 3
   done
-  until getent hosts $(hostname -f) &>/dev/null; do
+  until getent hosts $(hostname -f || echo _error_) &>/dev/null; do
     echo 'Waiting for functional DNS (trying to resolve my own FQDN)...'
     sleep 3
   done
-  until getent hosts $(hostname -i) &>/dev/null; do
+  until getent hosts $(hostname -i || echo _error_) &>/dev/null; do
     echo 'Waiting for functional DNS (trying to resolve my own IP)...'
     sleep 3
   done