diff --git a/test/e2e/proxy.go b/test/e2e/proxy.go
index 41a82765509..9b5dcffe576 100644
--- a/test/e2e/proxy.go
+++ b/test/e2e/proxy.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package e2e
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -208,10 +209,19 @@ func nodeProxyTest(f *Framework, version, nodeDest string) {
 	prefix := "/api/" + version
 	node, err := pickNode(f.Client)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+	serviceUnavailableErrors := 0
 	for i := 0; i < proxyAttempts; i++ {
 		_, status, d, err := doProxy(f, prefix+"/proxy/nodes/"+node+nodeDest)
-		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(status).To(Equal(http.StatusOK))
-		Expect(d).To(BeNumerically("<", 15*time.Second))
+		if status == http.StatusServiceUnavailable {
+			Logf("Failed proxying node logs due to service unavailable: %v", err)
+			time.Sleep(time.Second)
+			serviceUnavailableErrors++
+		} else {
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(status).To(Equal(http.StatusOK))
+			Expect(d).To(BeNumerically("<", 15*time.Second))
+		}
 	}
+	maxFailures := int(math.Floor(0.1 * float64(proxyAttempts)))
+	Expect(serviceUnavailableErrors).To(BeNumerically("<", maxFailures))
 }