diff --git a/researchowl/postsync-smoke-test.yaml b/researchowl/postsync-smoke-test.yaml
index 3640437..8f09c64 100644
--- a/researchowl/postsync-smoke-test.yaml
+++ b/researchowl/postsync-smoke-test.yaml
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ spec:
         args:
           - |
             set -e
-            sleep 15
             TOKEN=$(cat /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token)
             CACERT=/var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/ca.crt
             K8S_API="https://kubernetes.default.svc"
@@ -50,14 +49,18 @@ spec:
             }
 
             echo "--- [1/1] Deployment researchowl ready replicas ---"
-            DEPLOY=$(curl -sf --max-time 15 \
-              --header "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
-              --cacert "$CACERT" \
-              "$K8S_API/apis/apps/v1/namespaces/researchowl/deployments/researchowl") \
-              || fail "k8s API unreachable"
-
-            READY=$(echo "$DEPLOY" | grep -o '"readyReplicas":[0-9]*' | grep -o '[0-9]*' || echo "0")
-            [ "${READY:-0}" -ge 1 ] || fail "readyReplicas=${READY:-0} (expected >= 1)"
+            READY=0
+            for i in $(seq 1 12); do
+              DEPLOY=$(curl -sf --max-time 15 \
+                --header "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
+                --cacert "$CACERT" \
+                "$K8S_API/apis/apps/v1/namespaces/researchowl/deployments/researchowl") || true
+              READY=$(echo "$DEPLOY" | grep -o '"readyReplicas":[0-9]*' | grep -o '[0-9]*' || echo "0")
+              [ "${READY:-0}" -ge 1 ] && break
+              echo "Waiting... readyReplicas=${READY:-0} (attempt $i/12)"
+              sleep 5
+            done
+            [ "${READY:-0}" -ge 1 ] || fail "readyReplicas=${READY:-0} after 60s (expected >= 1)"
             echo "readyReplicas=$READY — OK"
 
             notify "[OK] researchowl PostSync passed — deployment ready"