diff --git a/pkg/controller/volume/persistentvolume/controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/volume/persistentvolume/controller_test.go
index 638fae112f5..5ab4de49620 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/volume/persistentvolume/controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/volume/persistentvolume/controller_test.go
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ import (
 // can't reliably simulate periodic sync of volumes/claims - it would be
 // either very timing-sensitive or slow to wait for real periodic sync.
 func TestControllerSync(t *testing.T) {
-	expectedChanges := []int{4, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1}
 	tests := []controllerTest{
 		// [Unit test set 5] - controller tests.
 		// We test the controller as if
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ func TestControllerSync(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	for ix, test := range tests {
+	for _, test := range tests {
 		glog.V(4).Infof("starting test %q", test.name)
 
 		// Initialize the controller
@@ -176,7 +175,6 @@ func TestControllerSync(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		// Start the controller
-		count := reactor.getChangeCount()
 		go ctrl.Run()
 
 		// Wait for the controller to pass initial sync and fill its caches.
@@ -199,13 +197,10 @@ func TestControllerSync(t *testing.T) {
 		ctrl.claims.Resync()
 		ctrl.volumes.store.Resync()
 
-		// Wait at least once, just in case expectedChanges[ix] == 0
-		reactor.waitTest()
-		// Wait for expected number of operations.
-		for reactor.getChangeCount() < count+expectedChanges[ix] {
-			reactor.waitTest()
+		err = reactor.waitTest(test)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Failed to run test %s: %v", test.name, err)
 		}
-
 		ctrl.Stop()
 
 		evaluateTestResults(ctrl, reactor, test, t)
diff --git a/pkg/controller/volume/persistentvolume/framework_test.go b/pkg/controller/volume/persistentvolume/framework_test.go
index cd78384daa1..ea881a13a1b 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/volume/persistentvolume/framework_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/volume/persistentvolume/framework_test.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/diff"
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/wait"
 	vol "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/volume"
 )
 
@@ -297,7 +298,7 @@ func (r *volumeReactor) injectReactError(action core.Action) error {
 
 // checkVolumes compares all expectedVolumes with set of volumes at the end of
 // the test and reports differences.
-func (r *volumeReactor) checkVolumes(t *testing.T, expectedVolumes []*api.PersistentVolume) error {
+func (r *volumeReactor) checkVolumes(expectedVolumes []*api.PersistentVolume) error {
 	r.lock.Lock()
 	defer r.lock.Unlock()
 
@@ -329,7 +330,7 @@ func (r *volumeReactor) checkVolumes(t *testing.T, expectedVolumes []*api.Persis
 
 // checkClaims compares all expectedClaims with set of claims at the end of the
 // test and reports differences.
-func (r *volumeReactor) checkClaims(t *testing.T, expectedClaims []*api.PersistentVolumeClaim) error {
+func (r *volumeReactor) checkClaims(expectedClaims []*api.PersistentVolumeClaim) error {
 	r.lock.Lock()
 	defer r.lock.Unlock()
 
@@ -454,9 +455,9 @@ func (r *volumeReactor) getChangeCount() int {
 	return r.changedSinceLastSync
 }
 
-// waitTest waits until all tests, controllers and other goroutines do their
+// waitForIdle waits until all tests, controllers and other goroutines do their
 // job and no new actions are registered for 10 milliseconds.
-func (r *volumeReactor) waitTest() {
+func (r *volumeReactor) waitForIdle() {
 	r.ctrl.runningOperations.Wait()
 	// Check every 10ms if the controller does something and stop if it's
 	// idle.
@@ -472,6 +473,32 @@ func (r *volumeReactor) waitTest() {
 	}
 }
 
+// waitTest waits until all tests, controllers and other goroutines do their
+// job and list of current volumes/claims is equal to list of expected
+// volumes/claims (with ~10 second timeout).
+func (r *volumeReactor) waitTest(test controllerTest) error {
+	// start with 10 ms, multiply by 2 each step, 10 steps = 10.23 seconds
+	backoff := wait.Backoff{
+		Duration: 10 * time.Millisecond,
+		Jitter:   0,
+		Factor:   2,
+		Steps:    10,
+	}
+	err := wait.ExponentialBackoff(backoff, func() (done bool, err error) {
+		// Finish all operations that are in progress
+		r.ctrl.runningOperations.Wait()
+
+		// Return 'true' if the reactor reached the expected state
+		err1 := r.checkClaims(test.expectedClaims)
+		err2 := r.checkVolumes(test.expectedVolumes)
+		if err1 == nil && err2 == nil {
+			return true, nil
+		}
+		return false, nil
+	})
+	return err
+}
+
 // deleteVolumeEvent simulates that a volume has been deleted in etcd and
 // the controller receives 'volume deleted' event.
 func (r *volumeReactor) deleteVolumeEvent(volume *api.PersistentVolume) {
@@ -806,11 +833,11 @@ func wrapTestWithInjectedOperation(toWrap testCall, injectBeforeOperation func(c
 
 func evaluateTestResults(ctrl *PersistentVolumeController, reactor *volumeReactor, test controllerTest, t *testing.T) {
 	// Evaluate results
-	if err := reactor.checkClaims(t, test.expectedClaims); err != nil {
+	if err := reactor.checkClaims(test.expectedClaims); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Test %q: %v", test.name, err)
 
 	}
-	if err := reactor.checkVolumes(t, test.expectedVolumes); err != nil {
+	if err := reactor.checkVolumes(test.expectedVolumes); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Test %q: %v", test.name, err)
 	}
 
@@ -848,8 +875,11 @@ func runSyncTests(t *testing.T, tests []controllerTest) {
 			t.Errorf("Test %q failed: %v", test.name, err)
 		}
 
-		// Wait for all goroutines to finish
-		reactor.waitTest()
+		// Wait for the target state
+		err = reactor.waitTest(test)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Test %q failed: %v", test.name, err)
+		}
 
 		evaluateTestResults(ctrl, reactor, test, t)
 	}
@@ -906,7 +936,7 @@ func runMultisyncTests(t *testing.T, tests []controllerTest) {
 			}
 
 			// Wait for all goroutines to finish
-			reactor.waitTest()
+			reactor.waitForIdle()
 
 			obj := reactor.popChange()
 			if obj == nil {