diff --git a/federation/cmd/federation-controller-manager/app/controllermanager.go b/federation/cmd/federation-controller-manager/app/controllermanager.go
index a66b34b3f99..78a71a2b2db 100644
--- a/federation/cmd/federation-controller-manager/app/controllermanager.go
+++ b/federation/cmd/federation-controller-manager/app/controllermanager.go
@@ -190,9 +190,7 @@ func StartControllers(s *options.CMServer, restClientCfg *restclient.Config) err
 	}
 
 	if controllerEnabled(s.Controllers, serverResources, secretcontroller.ControllerName, secretcontroller.RequiredResources, true) {
-		secretcontrollerClientset := federationclientset.NewForConfigOrDie(restclient.AddUserAgent(restClientCfg, "secret-controller"))
-		secretcontroller := secretcontroller.NewSecretController(secretcontrollerClientset)
-		secretcontroller.Run(wait.NeverStop)
+		secretcontroller.StartSecretController(restClientCfg, stopChan, minimizeLatency)
 	}
 
 	if controllerEnabled(s.Controllers, serverResources, configmapcontroller.ControllerName, configmapcontroller.RequiredResources, true) {
diff --git a/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/BUILD b/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/BUILD
index 363202a3de5..3ad927bed97 100644
--- a/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/BUILD
+++ b/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/BUILD
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ go_library(
         "//vendor:k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types",
         "//vendor:k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/watch",
         "//vendor:k8s.io/client-go/pkg/api/v1",
+        "//vendor:k8s.io/client-go/rest",
         "//vendor:k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache",
         "//vendor:k8s.io/client-go/tools/record",
         "//vendor:k8s.io/client-go/util/flowcontrol",
diff --git a/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/secret_controller.go b/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/secret_controller.go
index a6a80e1dd0e..200f13404a9 100644
--- a/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/secret_controller.go
+++ b/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/secret_controller.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/watch"
 	clientv1 "k8s.io/client-go/pkg/api/v1"
+	restclient "k8s.io/client-go/rest"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/flowcontrol"
@@ -88,8 +89,20 @@ type SecretController struct {
 	updateTimeout         time.Duration
 }
 
-// NewSecretController returns a new secret controller
-func NewSecretController(client federationclientset.Interface) *SecretController {
+// StartSecretController starts a new secret controller
+func StartSecretController(config *restclient.Config, stopChan <-chan struct{}, minimizeLatency bool) {
+	restclient.AddUserAgent(config, "secret-controller")
+	client := federationclientset.NewForConfigOrDie(config)
+	controller := newSecretController(client)
+	if minimizeLatency {
+		controller.minimizeLatency()
+	}
+	glog.Infof("Starting Secret controller")
+	controller.Run(stopChan)
+}
+
+// newSecretController returns a new secret controller
+func newSecretController(client federationclientset.Interface) *SecretController {
 	broadcaster := record.NewBroadcaster()
 	broadcaster.StartRecordingToSink(eventsink.NewFederatedEventSink(client))
 	recorder := broadcaster.NewRecorder(api.Scheme, clientv1.EventSource{Component: "federated-secrets-controller"})
@@ -190,6 +203,14 @@ func NewSecretController(client federationclientset.Interface) *SecretController
 	return secretcontroller
 }
 
+// minimizeLatency reduces delays and timeouts to make the controller more responsive (useful for testing).
+func (secretcontroller *SecretController) minimizeLatency() {
+	secretcontroller.clusterAvailableDelay = time.Second
+	secretcontroller.secretReviewDelay = 50 * time.Millisecond
+	secretcontroller.smallDelay = 20 * time.Millisecond
+	secretcontroller.updateTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+}
+
 // Returns true if the given object has the given finalizer in its ObjectMeta.
 func (secretcontroller *SecretController) hasFinalizerFunc(obj pkgruntime.Object, finalizer string) bool {
 	secret := obj.(*apiv1.Secret)
diff --git a/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/secret_controller_test.go b/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/secret_controller_test.go
index bb71d343424..b7c68f87ce6 100644
--- a/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/secret_controller_test.go
+++ b/federation/pkg/federation-controller/secret/secret_controller_test.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func TestSecretController(t *testing.T) {
 	RegisterFakeList(secrets, &cluster2Client.Fake, &apiv1.SecretList{Items: []apiv1.Secret{}})
 	cluster2CreateChan := RegisterFakeCopyOnCreate(secrets, &cluster2Client.Fake, cluster2Watch)
 
-	secretController := NewSecretController(fakeClient)
+	secretController := newSecretController(fakeClient)
 	informerClientFactory := func(cluster *federationapi.Cluster) (kubeclientset.Interface, error) {
 		switch cluster.Name {
 		case cluster1.Name:
@@ -79,10 +79,7 @@ func TestSecretController(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	setClientFactory(secretController.secretFederatedInformer, informerClientFactory)
 
-	secretController.clusterAvailableDelay = time.Second
-	secretController.secretReviewDelay = 50 * time.Millisecond
-	secretController.smallDelay = 20 * time.Millisecond
-	secretController.updateTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+	secretController.minimizeLatency()
 
 	stop := make(chan struct{})
 	secretController.Run(stop)