diff --git a/pkg/api/rest/resttest/resttest.go b/pkg/api/rest/resttest/resttest.go
index 17e0a584220..f170ec7711d 100644
--- a/pkg/api/rest/resttest/resttest.go
+++ b/pkg/api/rest/resttest/resttest.go
@@ -673,7 +673,8 @@ func (t *Tester) testDeleteGracefulImmediate(obj runtime.Object, setFn SetFunc,
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error, object should be deleted immediately: %v", err)
 	}
 	objectMeta = t.getObjectMetaOrFail(out)
-	if objectMeta.DeletionTimestamp == nil || objectMeta.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds == nil || *objectMeta.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds != 0 {
+	// the second delete shouldn't update the object, so the objectMeta.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds should eqaul to the value set in the first delete.
+	if objectMeta.DeletionTimestamp == nil || objectMeta.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds == nil || *objectMeta.DeletionGracePeriodSeconds != expectedGrace {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected deleted meta: %#v", objectMeta)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/registry/generic/etcd/etcd.go b/pkg/registry/generic/etcd/etcd.go
index a6532d9d42f..d83180dba39 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/generic/etcd/etcd.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/generic/etcd/etcd.go
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ func (e *Etcd) Delete(ctx api.Context, name string, options *api.DeleteOptions)
 	if pendingGraceful {
 		return e.finalizeDelete(obj, false)
 	}
-	if graceful {
+	if graceful && *options.GracePeriodSeconds > 0 {
 		out := e.NewFunc()
 		lastGraceful := int64(0)
 		err := e.Storage.GuaranteedUpdate(
diff --git a/test/e2e/pods.go b/test/e2e/pods.go
index ed432d2a0a4..7f87aac8763 100644
--- a/test/e2e/pods.go
+++ b/test/e2e/pods.go
@@ -343,8 +343,12 @@ var _ = Describe("Pods", func() {
 			Fail("Timeout while waiting for pod creation")
 		}
 
+		// We need to wait for the pod to be scheduled, otherwise the deletion
+		// will be carried out immediately rather than gracefully.
+		expectNoError(framework.WaitForPodRunning(pod.Name))
+
 		By("deleting the pod gracefully")
-		if err := podClient.Delete(pod.Name, nil); err != nil {
+		if err := podClient.Delete(pod.Name, api.NewDeleteOptions(30)); err != nil {
 			Failf("Failed to delete pod: %v", err)
 		}
 
@@ -352,7 +356,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Pods", func() {
 		deleted := false
 		timeout := false
 		var lastPod *api.Pod
-		timer := time.After(podStartTimeout)
+		timer := time.After(30 * time.Second)
 		for !deleted && !timeout {
 			select {
 			case event, _ := <-w.ResultChan():