diff --git a/tools/gate/funcs/kube.sh b/tools/gate/funcs/kube.sh
index dc03ffef3e..9616c0d171 100755
--- a/tools/gate/funcs/kube.sh
+++ b/tools/gate/funcs/kube.sh
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ function kubeadm_aio_launch {
   ${WORK_DIR}/tools/kubeadm-aio/kubeadm-aio-launcher.sh
   mkdir -p ${HOME}/.kube
   cat ${KUBECONFIG} > ${HOME}/.kube/config
-  kube_wait_for_pods kube-system 240
+  kube_wait_for_pods kube-system ${POD_START_TIMEOUT}
   kube_wait_for_pods default 240
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/gate/setup_gate_worker_nodes.sh b/tools/gate/setup_gate_worker_nodes.sh
index 9bdde5195f..d014ee4744 100755
--- a/tools/gate/setup_gate_worker_nodes.sh
+++ b/tools/gate/setup_gate_worker_nodes.sh
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ rm -rf ${SUB_NODE_PROVISION_SCRIPT}
 
 source ${WORK_DIR}/tools/gate/funcs/kube.sh
 kube_wait_for_nodes ${SUB_NODE_COUNT} 240
-kube_wait_for_pods kube-system 240
+kube_wait_for_pods kube-system ${POD_START_TIMEOUT}
 kube_wait_for_pods openstack 240
 kubectl get nodes --show-all
 kubectl get --all-namespaces all --show-all
diff --git a/tools/gate/vars.sh b/tools/gate/vars.sh
index b37496dbff..2bb1de4bc9 100755
--- a/tools/gate/vars.sh
+++ b/tools/gate/vars.sh
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export SDN_PLUGIN=${SDN_PLUGIN:-"ovs"}
 export UPSTREAM_DNS=${UPSTREAM_DNS:-"8.8.8.8"}
 
 # Set gate script timeouts
+export POD_START_TIMEOUT=${POD_START_TIMEOUT:="480"}
 export SERVICE_LAUNCH_TIMEOUT=${SERVICE_LAUNCH_TIMEOUT:="600"}
 export SERVICE_TEST_TIMEOUT=${SERVICE_TEST_TIMEOUT:="600"}