diff --git a/test/e2e/deployment.go b/test/e2e/deployment.go
index cdab4b6b4d2..68162e424c3 100644
--- a/test/e2e/deployment.go
+++ b/test/e2e/deployment.go
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ func testRollingUpdateDeployment(f *framework.Framework) {
 	_, err := c.Extensions().ReplicaSets(ns).Create(rs)
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	// Verify that the required pods have come up.
-	err = framework.VerifyPods(c, ns, "sample-pod", false, 3)
+	err = framework.VerifyPodsRunning(c, ns, "sample-pod", false, 3)
 	if err != nil {
 		framework.Logf("error in waiting for pods to come up: %s", err)
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ func testDeploymentCleanUpPolicy(f *framework.Framework) {
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
 	// Verify that the required pods have come up.
-	err = framework.VerifyPods(c, ns, "cleanup-pod", false, 1)
+	err = framework.VerifyPodsRunning(c, ns, "cleanup-pod", false, 1)
 	if err != nil {
 		framework.Logf("error in waiting for pods to come up: %s", err)
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ func testRolloverDeployment(f *framework.Framework) {
 	_, err := c.Extensions().ReplicaSets(ns).Create(newRS(rsName, rsReplicas, rsPodLabels, nginxImageName, nginxImage))
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	// Verify that the required pods have come up.
-	err = framework.VerifyPods(c, ns, podName, false, rsReplicas)
+	err = framework.VerifyPodsRunning(c, ns, podName, false, rsReplicas)
 	if err != nil {
 		framework.Logf("error in waiting for pods to come up: %s", err)
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ func testDeploymentLabelAdopted(f *framework.Framework) {
 	_, err := c.Extensions().ReplicaSets(ns).Create(newRS(rsName, replicas, podLabels, podName, image))
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	// Verify that the required pods have come up.
-	err = framework.VerifyPods(c, ns, podName, false, 3)
+	err = framework.VerifyPodsRunning(c, ns, podName, false, 3)
 	if err != nil {
 		framework.Logf("error in waiting for pods to come up: %s", err)
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@ func testScaledRolloutDeployment(f *framework.Framework) {
 
 	// Verify that the required pods have come up.
 	By("Waiting for all required pods to come up")
-	err = framework.VerifyPods(f.ClientSet, ns, nginxImageName, false, *(deployment.Spec.Replicas))
+	err = framework.VerifyPodsRunning(f.ClientSet, ns, nginxImageName, false, *(deployment.Spec.Replicas))
 	if err != nil {
 		framework.Logf("error in waiting for pods to come up: %s", err)
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/util.go b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
index 37aeb3c318f..c66ecf259a6 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
@@ -1700,6 +1700,14 @@ func podsRunning(c clientset.Interface, pods *v1.PodList) []error {
 }
 
 func VerifyPods(c clientset.Interface, ns, name string, wantName bool, replicas int32) error {
+	return podRunningMaybeResponding(c, ns, name, wantName, replicas, true)
+}
+
+func VerifyPodsRunning(c clientset.Interface, ns, name string, wantName bool, replicas int32) error {
+	return podRunningMaybeResponding(c, ns, name, wantName, replicas, false)
+}
+
+func podRunningMaybeResponding(c clientset.Interface, ns, name string, wantName bool, replicas int32, checkResponding bool) error {
 	pods, err := PodsCreated(c, ns, name, replicas)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -1708,9 +1716,11 @@ func VerifyPods(c clientset.Interface, ns, name string, wantName bool, replicas
 	if len(e) > 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to wait for pods running: %v", e)
 	}
-	err = PodsResponding(c, ns, name, wantName, pods)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to wait for pods responding: %v", err)
+	if checkResponding {
+		err = PodsResponding(c, ns, name, wantName, pods)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to wait for pods responding: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }