diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/node/wait.go b/test/e2e/framework/node/wait.go
index 9cad4dc7120..4c9d06dbbd6 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/node/wait.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/node/wait.go
@@ -207,19 +207,18 @@ func checkWaitListSchedulableNodes(c clientset.Interface) (*v1.NodeList, error)
 	return nodes, nil
 }
 
-// CheckReadyForTests returns a method usable in polling methods which will check that the nodes are
-// in a testable state based on schedulability.
+// CheckReadyForTests returns a function which will return 'true' once the number of ready nodes is above the allowedNotReadyNodes threshold (i.e. to be used as a global gate for starting the tests).
 func CheckReadyForTests(c clientset.Interface, nonblockingTaints string, allowedNotReadyNodes, largeClusterThreshold int) func() (bool, error) {
 	attempt := 0
-	var notSchedulable []*v1.Node
 	return func() (bool, error) {
 		attempt++
-		notSchedulable = nil
+		var nodesNotReadyYet []v1.Node
 		opts := metav1.ListOptions{
 			ResourceVersion: "0",
-			FieldSelector:   fields.Set{"spec.unschedulable": "false"}.AsSelector().String(),
+			// remove uncordoned nodes from our calculation, TODO refactor if node v2 API removes that semantic.
+			FieldSelector: fields.Set{"spec.unschedulable": "false"}.AsSelector().String(),
 		}
-		nodes, err := c.CoreV1().Nodes().List(context.TODO(), opts)
+		allNodes, err := c.CoreV1().Nodes().List(context.TODO(), opts)
 		if err != nil {
 			e2elog.Logf("Unexpected error listing nodes: %v", err)
 			if testutils.IsRetryableAPIError(err) {
@@ -227,10 +226,9 @@ func CheckReadyForTests(c clientset.Interface, nonblockingTaints string, allowed
 			}
 			return false, err
 		}
-		for i := range nodes.Items {
-			node := &nodes.Items[i]
-			if !readyForTests(node, nonblockingTaints) {
-				notSchedulable = append(notSchedulable, node)
+		for _, node := range allNodes.Items {
+			if !readyForTests(&node, nonblockingTaints) {
+				nodesNotReadyYet = append(nodesNotReadyYet, node)
 			}
 		}
 		// Framework allows for <TestContext.AllowedNotReadyNodes> nodes to be non-ready,
@@ -239,25 +237,29 @@ func CheckReadyForTests(c clientset.Interface, nonblockingTaints string, allowed
 		// provisioned correctly at startup will never become ready (e.g. when something
 		// won't install correctly), so we can't expect them to be ready at any point.
 		//
-		// However, we only allow non-ready nodes with some specific reasons.
-		if len(notSchedulable) > 0 {
+		// We log the *reason* why nodes are not schedulable, specifically, its usually the network not being available.
+		if len(nodesNotReadyYet) > 0 {
 			// In large clusters, log them only every 10th pass.
-			if len(nodes.Items) < largeClusterThreshold || attempt%10 == 0 {
-				e2elog.Logf("Unschedulable nodes:")
-				for i := range notSchedulable {
-					e2elog.Logf("-> %s Ready=%t Network=%t Taints=%v NonblockingTaints:%v",
-						notSchedulable[i].Name,
-						IsConditionSetAsExpectedSilent(notSchedulable[i], v1.NodeReady, true),
-						IsConditionSetAsExpectedSilent(notSchedulable[i], v1.NodeNetworkUnavailable, false),
-						notSchedulable[i].Spec.Taints,
+			if len(nodesNotReadyYet) < largeClusterThreshold || attempt%10 == 0 {
+				e2elog.Logf("Unschedulable nodes= %v, maximum value for starting tests= %v", len(nodesNotReadyYet), allowedNotReadyNodes)
+				for _, node := range nodesNotReadyYet {
+					e2elog.Logf("	-> Node %s [[[ Ready=%t, Network(available)=%t, Taints=%v, NonblockingTaints=%v ]]]",
+						node.Name,
+						IsConditionSetAsExpectedSilent(&node, v1.NodeReady, true),
+						IsConditionSetAsExpectedSilent(&node, v1.NodeNetworkUnavailable, false),
+						node.Spec.Taints,
 						nonblockingTaints,
 					)
 
 				}
-				e2elog.Logf("================================")
+				if len(nodesNotReadyYet) > allowedNotReadyNodes {
+					ready := len(allNodes.Items) - len(nodesNotReadyYet)
+					remaining := len(nodesNotReadyYet) - allowedNotReadyNodes
+					e2elog.Logf("==== node wait: %v out of %v nodes are ready, max notReady allowed %v.  Need %v more before starting.", ready, len(allNodes.Items), allowedNotReadyNodes, remaining)
+				}
 			}
 		}
-		return len(notSchedulable) <= allowedNotReadyNodes, nil
+		return len(nodesNotReadyYet) <= allowedNotReadyNodes, nil
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/test/integration/framework/util.go b/test/integration/framework/util.go
index 587f4e87798..eb1e8dcd506 100644
--- a/test/integration/framework/util.go
+++ b/test/integration/framework/util.go
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ func isConditionUnset(node *v1.Node, conditionType v1.NodeConditionType) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// isNodeConditionSetAsExpected checks a node for a condition, and returns 'true' if the wanted value is the same as the condition value, useful for polling until a condition on a node is met.
 func isNodeConditionSetAsExpected(node *v1.Node, conditionType v1.NodeConditionType, wantTrue, silent bool) bool {
 	// Check the node readiness condition (logging all).
 	for _, cond := range node.Status.Conditions {