diff --git a/cluster/images/etcd/migrate/migrate_client.go b/cluster/images/etcd/migrate/migrate_client.go
index cfb019f7cde..da106eb97cf 100644
--- a/cluster/images/etcd/migrate/migrate_client.go
+++ b/cluster/images/etcd/migrate/migrate_client.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -25,10 +26,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"context"
-
 	clientv2 "github.com/coreos/etcd/client"
 	"github.com/coreos/etcd/clientv3"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"k8s.io/klog"
 )
 
@@ -113,7 +113,13 @@ func (e *CombinedEtcdClient) clientV2() (clientv2.KeysAPI, error) {
 }
 
 func (e *CombinedEtcdClient) clientV3() (*clientv3.Client, error) {
-	return clientv3.New(clientv3.Config{Endpoints: []string{e.endpoint()}})
+	return clientv3.New(clientv3.Config{
+		Endpoints:   []string{e.endpoint()},
+		DialTimeout: 20 * time.Second,
+		DialOptions: []grpc.DialOption{
+			grpc.WithBlock(), // block until the underlying connection is up
+		},
+	})
 }
 
 // Backup creates a backup of an etcd2 data directory at the given backupDir.