diff --git a/.github/workflows/kubernetes.yml b/.github/workflows/kubernetes.yml
index 4c262f4..3e379fd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kubernetes.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kubernetes.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ jobs:
       YAKS_VERSION: 0.15.1
       YAKS_IMAGE_NAME: "docker.io/citrusframework/yaks"
       YAKS_RUN_OPTIONS: "--timeout=15m"
+      KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT: "180s"
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -85,6 +86,9 @@ jobs:
           export KAMEL_INSTALL_REGISTRY_INSECURE=true
 
           kamel install
+          
+          # Wait for operator to start
+          kubectl wait pod -l app=camel-k --for condition=Ready --timeout=${{ env.KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT }}
       - name: YAKS tools
         uses: citrusframework/yaks-install-action@v1.1
         with:
@@ -92,6 +96,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install YAKS
         run: |
           yaks install --operator-image $YAKS_IMAGE_NAME:$YAKS_VERSION
+          
+          # Wait for operator to start
+          kubectl wait pod -l app=yaks --for condition=Ready --timeout=${{ env.KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT }}
       - name: YAKS Tests
         run: |
           # Then run integration tests
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
index 0636805..88c42d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ jobs:
       YAKS_VERSION: 0.15.1
       YAKS_IMAGE_NAME: "docker.io/citrusframework/yaks"
       YAKS_RUN_OPTIONS: "--timeout=15m"
+      KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT: "180s"
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -86,6 +87,9 @@ jobs:
           export KAMEL_INSTALL_REGISTRY_INSECURE=true
 
           kamel install --maven-repository=https://repository.apache.org/content/repositories/snapshots@id=apache-snapshots@snapshots
+          
+          # Wait for operator to start
+          kubectl wait pod -l app=camel-k --for condition=Ready --timeout=${{ env.KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT }}
       - name: YAKS tools
         uses: citrusframework/yaks-install-action@v1.1
         with:
@@ -93,6 +97,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install YAKS
         run: |
           yaks install --operator-image $YAKS_IMAGE_NAME:$YAKS_VERSION
+          
+          # Wait for operator to start
+          kubectl wait pod -l app=yaks --for condition=Ready --timeout=${{ env.KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT }}
       - name: YAKS Tests
         run: |
           # Then run integration tests
@@ -118,6 +125,7 @@ jobs:
       YAKS_VERSION: 0.15.1
       YAKS_IMAGE_NAME: "docker.io/citrusframework/yaks"
       YAKS_RUN_OPTIONS: "--timeout=15m"
+      KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT: "180s"
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -170,6 +178,9 @@ jobs:
           export KAMEL_INSTALL_REGISTRY_INSECURE=true
 
           kamel install
+          
+          # Wait for operator to start
+          kubectl wait pod -l app=camel-k --for condition=Ready --timeout=${{ env.KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT }}
       - name: YAKS tools
         uses: citrusframework/yaks-install-action@v1.1
         with:
@@ -177,6 +188,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install YAKS
         run: |
           yaks install --operator-image $YAKS_IMAGE_NAME:$YAKS_VERSION
+          
+          # Wait for operator to start
+          kubectl wait pod -l app=yaks --for condition=Ready --timeout=${{ env.KUBECTL_WAIT_TIMEOUT }}
       - name: YAKS Tests
         run: |
           # Then run integration tests