diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index a644e62..407d722 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -728,11 +728,16 @@ class K8sExecutor extends Executor {
 
         let message;
         let waitingReason;
+        let status;
 
-        pods.find(p => {
-            const status = hoek.reach(p, 'status.phase').toLowerCase();
+        const data = pods.find(p => {
+            status = hoek.reach(p, 'status.phase').toLowerCase();
 
-            waitingReason = hoek.reach(p, CONTAINER_WAITING_REASON_PATH);
+            if (status === 'running' || status === 'succeeded') {
+                message = `Successfully created pod. Pod status is: ${status}`;
+
+                return true;
+            }
 
             if (status === 'failed' || status === 'unknown') {
                 message = `Failed to create pod. Pod status is: ${status}`;
@@ -740,6 +745,15 @@ class K8sExecutor extends Executor {
                 return true;
             }
 
+            // waitingReason is undefined when pod is running or succeeded
+            waitingReason = hoek.reach(p, CONTAINER_WAITING_REASON_PATH);
+
+            if (waitingReason === undefined) {
+                message = 'Build is no longer waiting.';
+
+                return true;
+            }
+
             if (
                 ['CrashLoopBackOff', 'CreateContainerConfigError', 'CreateContainerError', 'StartError'].includes(
                     waitingReason
@@ -763,13 +777,19 @@ class K8sExecutor extends Executor {
             return message !== undefined;
         });
 
-        logger.info(`BuildId:${buildId}, status:${message}`);
+        logger.info(`BuildId:${buildId}, status:${status}, waitingReason:${waitingReason}, message:${message}`);
 
+        // data is not undefined when desired status or waitingReason met
+        // hence no error needs to be thrown
+        if (data !== undefined) {
+            return message;
+        }
+
+        // when condition above not met, throw error
         if (waitingReason === 'PodInitializing') {
             throw new Error('Build failed to start. Pod is still intializing.');
         }
-
-        return message;
+        throw new Error(`Build failed to start. Status: ${status}. Reason: ${waitingReason}.`);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/test/index.test.js b/test/index.test.js
index f8a8e40..3c37629 100644
--- a/test/index.test.js
+++ b/test/index.test.js
@@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                     items: [
                         {
                             status: {
-                                phase: 'pending'
+                                phase: 'Running'
                             },
                             spec: {
                                 nodeName: 'node1.my.k8s.cluster.com'
@@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Please reach out to your cluster admin for help.';
 
@@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Please reach out to your cluster admin for help.';
 
@@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Please reach out to your cluster admin for help.';
 
@@ -1301,7 +1301,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Please check if your image is valid.';
 
@@ -1329,7 +1329,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Please check if your image is valid.';
 
@@ -1357,7 +1357,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Please check if your image is valid.';
 
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Please reach out to your cluster admin for help.';
 
@@ -1412,7 +1412,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Failed to create pod. Pod status is: failed';
 
@@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
             const expectedMessage = 'Failed to create pod. Pod status is: failed';
 
             requestRetryMock.withArgs(getPodsConfig).resolves(fakeGetPodsResponse);
@@ -1448,7 +1448,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                         {
                             state: {
                                 waiting: {
-                                    reason: 'PodIntializing',
+                                    reason: 'PodInitializing',
                                     message: 'pod is initializing'
                                 }
                             }
@@ -1458,13 +1458,13 @@ describe('index', function () {
             };
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Pod is still intializing.';
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
             requestRetryMock.withArgs(getPodsConfig).resolves(fakeGetPodsResponse);
 
             try {
                 await executor.verify(fakeVerifyConfig);
             } catch (error) {
-                assert.equal(expectedMessage, error);
+                assert.equal(expectedMessage, error.message);
             }
         });
 
@@ -1488,7 +1488,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod1);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod1);
             const pod2 = {
                 status: {
                     phase: 'pending',
@@ -1508,7 +1508,7 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 }
             };
 
-            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.push(pod2);
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod2);
 
             const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Please check if your image is valid.';
 
@@ -1522,5 +1522,63 @@ describe('index', function () {
                 throw new Error('should not fail');
             }
         });
+
+        it('no error when waitingReason is undefined', async () => {
+            const pod = {
+                status: {
+                    phase: 'pending',
+                    containerStatuses: [],
+                    metadata: {
+                        name: 'beta_15-dsvds'
+                    }
+                }
+            };
+
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items.unshift(pod);
+
+            const expectedMessage = 'Build is no longer waiting.';
+
+            requestRetryMock.withArgs(getPodsConfig).resolves(fakeGetPodsResponse);
+
+            try {
+                const actualMessage = await executor.verify(fakeVerifyConfig);
+
+                assert.equal(expectedMessage, actualMessage);
+            } catch (error) {
+                throw new Error('should not fail');
+            }
+        });
+
+        it('error whenever unknown waitingReason is present', async () => {
+            const pod = {
+                status: {
+                    phase: 'pending',
+                    containerStatuses: [
+                        {
+                            state: {
+                                waiting: {
+                                    reason: 'RandomReason',
+                                    message: 'some random message'
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                    ],
+                    metadata: {
+                        name: 'beta_15-dsvds'
+                    }
+                }
+            };
+
+            fakeGetPodsResponse.body.items[0] = pod;
+            requestRetryMock.withArgs(getPodsConfig).resolves(fakeGetPodsResponse);
+            const expectedMessage = 'Build failed to start. Status: pending. Reason: RandomReason.';
+
+            try {
+                await executor.verify(fakeVerifyConfig);
+                throw new Error('did not fail');
+            } catch (error) {
+                assert.equal(expectedMessage, error.message);
+            }
+        });
     });
 });