diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/statefulset_utils.go b/test/e2e/framework/statefulset_utils.go
index 65345fe493b..51a6e869f18 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/statefulset_utils.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/statefulset_utils.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func (s *StatefulSetTester) CheckMount(ss *apps.StatefulSet, mountPath string) e
 func (s *StatefulSetTester) ExecInStatefulPods(ss *apps.StatefulSet, cmd string) error {
 	podList := s.GetPodList(ss)
 	for _, statefulPod := range podList.Items {
-		stdout, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(statefulPod.Namespace, statefulPod.Name, cmd, StatefulSetPoll, 3)
+		stdout, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(statefulPod.Namespace, statefulPod.Name, cmd, StatefulSetPoll, StatefulPodTimeout)
 		Logf("stdout of %v on %v: %v", cmd, statefulPod.Name, stdout)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ func (s *StatefulSetTester) CheckHostname(ss *apps.StatefulSet) error {
 	cmd := "printf $(hostname)"
 	podList := s.GetPodList(ss)
 	for _, statefulPod := range podList.Items {
-		hostname, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(statefulPod.Namespace, statefulPod.Name, cmd, StatefulSetPoll, 3)
+		hostname, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(statefulPod.Namespace, statefulPod.Name, cmd, StatefulSetPoll, StatefulPodTimeout)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ func (s *StatefulSetTester) BreakPodHttpProbe(ss *apps.StatefulSet, pod *v1.Pod)
 	}
 	// Ignore 'mv' errors to make this idempotent.
 	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("mv -v /usr/share/nginx/html%v /tmp/ || true", path)
-	stdout, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, cmd, StatefulSetPoll, 3)
+	stdout, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, cmd, StatefulSetPoll, StatefulPodTimeout)
 	Logf("stdout of %v on %v: %v", cmd, pod.Name, stdout)
 	return err
 }
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ func (s *StatefulSetTester) RestorePodHttpProbe(ss *apps.StatefulSet, pod *v1.Po
 	}
 	// Ignore 'mv' errors to make this idempotent.
 	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("mv -v /tmp%v /usr/share/nginx/html/ || true", path)
-	stdout, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, cmd, StatefulSetPoll, 3)
+	stdout, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, cmd, StatefulSetPoll, StatefulPodTimeout)
 	Logf("stdout of %v on %v: %v", cmd, pod.Name, stdout)
 	return err
 }
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ func (s *StatefulSetTester) ResumeNextPod(ss *apps.StatefulSet) {
 		if resumedPod != "" {
 			Failf("Found multiple paused stateful pods: %v and %v", pod.Name, resumedPod)
 		}
-		_, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, "touch /data/statefulset-continue", StatefulSetPoll, 3)
+		_, err := RunHostCmdWithRetries(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, "touch /data/statefulset-continue; sync", StatefulSetPoll, StatefulPodTimeout)
 		ExpectNoError(err)
 		Logf("Resumed pod %v", pod.Name)
 		resumedPod = pod.Name
diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/util.go b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
index 0530be56994..7fdb068545b 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
@@ -3311,20 +3311,23 @@ func RunHostCmdOrDie(ns, name, cmd string) string {
 	return stdout
 }
 
-// RunHostCmdWithRetries calls RunHostCmd until it succeeds or a built-in timeout expires.
-// This can be used with idempotent commands to deflake transient connection issues.
-func RunHostCmdWithRetries(ns, name, cmd string, interval time.Duration, maxTries int) (string, error) {
-	tries := 0
+// RunHostCmdWithRetries calls RunHostCmd and retries errors it thinks may be transient
+// until it succeeds or the specified timeout expires.
+// This can be used with idempotent commands to deflake transient Node issues.
+func RunHostCmdWithRetries(ns, name, cmd string, interval, timeout time.Duration) (string, error) {
+	start := time.Now()
 	for {
 		out, err := RunHostCmd(ns, name, cmd)
 		if err == nil {
 			return out, nil
 		}
-		tries++
-		if tries >= maxTries {
-			return out, fmt.Errorf("RunHostCmd still failed after %d tries: %v", tries, err)
+		if elapsed := time.Since(start); elapsed > timeout {
+			return out, fmt.Errorf("RunHostCmd still failed after %v: %v", elapsed, err)
 		}
-		Logf("Waiting %v to retry failed RunHostCmd (attempt %d): %v", interval, tries, err)
+		if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Error from server") {
+			return out, fmt.Errorf("Non-retryable RunHostCmd error: %v", err)
+		}
+		Logf("Waiting %v to retry failed RunHostCmd: %v", interval, err)
 		time.Sleep(interval)
 	}
 }