diff --git a/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go b/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
index e09aea55a68..370bca577ec 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
@@ -247,6 +247,14 @@ func MaxUnavailable(deployment extensions.Deployment) int32 {
 	return maxUnavailable
 }
 
+// MinAvailable returns the minimum vailable pods of a given deployment
+func MinAvailable(deployment *extensions.Deployment) int32 {
+	if !IsRollingUpdate(deployment) {
+		return int32(0)
+	}
+	return deployment.Spec.Replicas - MaxUnavailable(*deployment)
+}
+
 // MaxSurge returns the maximum surge pods a rolling deployment can take.
 func MaxSurge(deployment extensions.Deployment) int32 {
 	if !IsRollingUpdate(&deployment) {
diff --git a/test/e2e/deployment.go b/test/e2e/deployment.go
index 7567e5349e7..f07c3a1e180 100644
--- a/test/e2e/deployment.go
+++ b/test/e2e/deployment.go
@@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@ func testScaledRolloutDeployment(f *framework.Framework) {
 	deployment, err = c.Extensions().Deployments(ns).Get(deploymentName)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
-	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, d.Spec.Replicas-2))
+	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, deploymentutil.MinAvailable(deployment)))
 	err = framework.WaitForDeploymentStatus(c, deployment, true)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
@@ -1063,7 +1063,7 @@ func testScaledRolloutDeployment(f *framework.Framework) {
 	deployment, err = c.Extensions().Deployments(ns).Get(deploymentName)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
-	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, d.Spec.Replicas-2))
+	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, deploymentutil.MinAvailable(deployment)))
 	err = framework.WaitForDeploymentStatus(c, deployment, false)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
@@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ func testScaledRolloutDeployment(f *framework.Framework) {
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	}
 
-	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, d.Spec.Replicas-2))
+	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, deploymentutil.MinAvailable(deployment)))
 	err = framework.WaitForDeploymentStatus(c, deployment, true)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
@@ -1122,7 +1122,7 @@ func testScaledRolloutDeployment(f *framework.Framework) {
 	deployment, err = c.Extensions().Deployments(ns).Get(deploymentName)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
-	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, d.Spec.Replicas-2))
+	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, deploymentutil.MinAvailable(deployment)))
 	err = framework.WaitForDeploymentStatus(c, deployment, false)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
@@ -1163,7 +1163,7 @@ func testScaledRolloutDeployment(f *framework.Framework) {
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	}
 
-	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, d.Spec.Replicas-2))
+	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for deployment status to sync (current available: %d, minimum available: %d)", deployment.Status.AvailableReplicas, deploymentutil.MinAvailable(deployment)))
 	err = framework.WaitForDeploymentStatus(c, deployment, true)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 }