diff --git a/pkg/namespace/namespace_controller.go b/pkg/namespace/namespace_controller.go
index 1913457d45f..7557c4f9def 100644
--- a/pkg/namespace/namespace_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/namespace/namespace_controller.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package namespace
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ func deleteAllContent(kubeClient client.Interface, namespace string) (err error)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = deletePods(kubeClient, namespace)
+	estimate, err := deletePods(kubeClient, namespace)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -143,6 +144,10 @@ func deleteAllContent(kubeClient client.Interface, namespace string) (err error)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+
+	if estimate > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("some resources are being gracefully deleted, estimate %d seconds", estimate)
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -263,18 +268,25 @@ func deleteReplicationControllers(kubeClient client.Interface, ns string) error
 	return nil
 }
 
-func deletePods(kubeClient client.Interface, ns string) error {
+func deletePods(kubeClient client.Interface, ns string) (int64, error) {
 	items, err := kubeClient.Pods(ns).List(labels.Everything(), fields.Everything())
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return 0, err
 	}
+	estimate := int64(0)
 	for i := range items.Items {
+		if items.Items[i].Spec.TerminationGracePeriodSeconds != nil {
+			grace := *items.Items[i].Spec.TerminationGracePeriodSeconds
+			if grace > estimate {
+				estimate = grace
+			}
+		}
 		err := kubeClient.Pods(ns).Delete(items.Items[i].Name, nil)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			return 0, err
 		}
 	}
-	return nil
+	return estimate, nil
 }
 
 func deleteEvents(kubeClient client.Interface, ns string) error {