diff --git a/pkg/storage/cacher.go b/pkg/storage/cacher.go
index 032fce5d0a8..c3a8c7ae975 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/cacher.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/cacher.go
@@ -68,13 +68,23 @@ type CacherConfig struct {
 type Cacher struct {
 	sync.RWMutex
 
+	// Each user-facing method that is not simply redirected to the underlying
+	// storage has to read-lock on this mutex before starting any processing.
+	// This is necessary to prevent users from accessing structures that are
+	// uninitialized or are being repopulated right now.
+	// NOTE: We cannot easily reuse the main mutex for it due to multi-threaded
+	// interactions of Cacher with the underlying WatchCache. Since Cacher is
+	// caling WatchCache directly and WatchCache is calling Cacher methods
+	// via its OnEvent and OnReplace hooks, we explicitly assume that if mutexes
+	// of both structures are held, the one from WatchCache is acquired first
+	// to avoid deadlocks. Unfortunately, forcing this rule in startCaching
+	// would be very difficult and introducing one more mutex seems to be much
+	// easier.
+	usable sync.RWMutex
+
 	// Underlying storage.Interface.
 	storage Interface
 
-	// Whether Cacher is initialized.
-	initialized sync.WaitGroup
-	initOnce    sync.Once
-
 	// "sliding window" of recent changes of objects and the current state.
 	watchCache *cache.WatchCache
 	reflector  *cache.Reflector
@@ -98,44 +108,44 @@ func NewCacher(config CacherConfig) *Cacher {
 	listerWatcher := newCacherListerWatcher(config.Storage, config.ResourcePrefix, config.NewListFunc)
 
 	cacher := &Cacher{
-		initialized: sync.WaitGroup{},
-		storage:     config.Storage,
-		watchCache:  watchCache,
-		reflector:   cache.NewReflector(listerWatcher, config.Type, watchCache, 0),
-		watcherIdx:  0,
-		watchers:    make(map[int]*cacheWatcher),
-		versioner:   config.Versioner,
-		keyFunc:     config.KeyFunc,
+		usable:     sync.RWMutex{},
+		storage:    config.Storage,
+		watchCache: watchCache,
+		reflector:  cache.NewReflector(listerWatcher, config.Type, watchCache, 0),
+		watcherIdx: 0,
+		watchers:   make(map[int]*cacheWatcher),
+		versioner:  config.Versioner,
+		keyFunc:    config.KeyFunc,
 	}
-	cacher.initialized.Add(1)
+	cacher.usable.Lock()
 	// See startCaching method for why explanation on it.
-	watchCache.SetOnReplace(func() {
-		cacher.initOnce.Do(func() { cacher.initialized.Done() })
-		cacher.Unlock()
-	})
+	watchCache.SetOnReplace(func() { cacher.usable.Unlock() })
 	watchCache.SetOnEvent(cacher.processEvent)
 
 	stopCh := config.StopChannel
 	go util.Until(func() { cacher.startCaching(stopCh) }, 0, stopCh)
-	cacher.initialized.Wait()
 	return cacher
 }
 
 func (c *Cacher) startCaching(stopChannel <-chan struct{}) {
-	c.Lock()
+	// Whenever we enter startCaching method, usable mutex is held.
+	// We explicitly do NOT Unlock it in this method, because we do
+	// not want to allow any Watch/List methods not explicitly redirected
+	// to the underlying storage when the cache is being initialized.
+	// Once the underlying cache is propagated, onReplace handler will
+	// be called, which will do the usable.Unlock() as configured in
+	// NewCacher().
+	// Note: the same behavior is also triggered every time we fall out of
+	// backend storage watch event window.
+	defer c.usable.Lock()
+
 	c.terminateAllWatchers()
-	// We explicitly do NOT Unlock() in this method.
-	// This is because we do not want to allow any WATCH/LIST methods before
-	// the cache is initialized. Once the underlying cache is propagated,
-	// onReplace handler will be called, which will do the Unlock() as
-	// configured in NewCacher().
-	// Note: the same bahavior is also triggered every time we fall out of
-	// backen storage (e.g. etcd's) watch event window.
 	// Note that since onReplace may be not called due to errors, we explicitly
 	// need to retry it on errors under lock.
 	for {
-		err := c.reflector.ListAndWatch(stopChannel)
-		if err == nil {
+		if err := c.reflector.ListAndWatch(stopChannel); err != nil {
+			glog.Errorf("unexpected ListAndWatch error: %v", err)
+		} else {
 			break
 		}
 	}
@@ -168,6 +178,10 @@ func (c *Cacher) Delete(key string, out runtime.Object) error {
 
 // Implements storage.Interface.
 func (c *Cacher) Watch(key string, resourceVersion uint64, filter FilterFunc) (watch.Interface, error) {
+	// Do NOT allow Watch to start when the underlying structures are not propagated.
+	c.usable.RLock()
+	defer c.usable.RUnlock()
+
 	// We explicitly use thread unsafe version and do locking ourself to ensure that
 	// no new events will be processed in the meantime. The watchCache will be unlocked
 	// on return from this function.
@@ -216,6 +230,10 @@ func (c *Cacher) List(key string, listObj runtime.Object) error {
 // TODO: We may consider changing to use ListFromMemory in the future, but this
 // requires wider discussion as an "api semantic change".
 func (c *Cacher) ListFromMemory(key string, listObj runtime.Object) error {
+	// Do NOT allow Watch to start when the underlying structures are not propagated.
+	c.usable.RLock()
+	defer c.usable.RUnlock()
+
 	listPtr, err := runtime.GetItemsPtr(listObj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -263,6 +281,8 @@ func (c *Cacher) processEvent(event cache.WatchCacheEvent) {
 }
 
 func (c *Cacher) terminateAllWatchers() {
+	c.Lock()
+	defer c.Unlock()
 	for key, watcher := range c.watchers {
 		delete(c.watchers, key)
 		watcher.stop()