diff --git a/src/k8s/cmd/k8s/k8s_x_wait_for.go b/src/k8s/cmd/k8s/k8s_x_wait_for.go
index 49d83e5ce..17f8fc1b2 100644
--- a/src/k8s/cmd/k8s/k8s_x_wait_for.go
+++ b/src/k8s/cmd/k8s/k8s_x_wait_for.go
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ func newXWaitForCmd(env cmdutil.ExecutionEnvironment) *cobra.Command {
 			defer cancel()
 			if err := control.WaitUntilReady(ctx, func() (bool, error) {
 				err := features.StatusChecks.CheckDNS(cmd.Context(), env.Snap)
+				if err != nil {
+					cmd.PrintErrf("DNS not ready yet: %v\n", err.Error())
+				}
 				return err == nil, nil
 			}); err != nil {
 				cmd.PrintErrf("Error: DNS did not become ready: %v\n", err)
@@ -39,6 +42,9 @@ func newXWaitForCmd(env cmdutil.ExecutionEnvironment) *cobra.Command {
 			defer cancel()
 			if err := control.WaitUntilReady(ctx, func() (bool, error) {
 				err := features.StatusChecks.CheckNetwork(cmd.Context(), env.Snap)
+				if err != nil {
+					cmd.PrintErrf("network not ready yet: %v\n", err.Error())
+				}
 				return err == nil, nil
 			}); err != nil {
 				cmd.PrintErrf("Error: network did not become ready: %v\n", err)
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/calico/status.go b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/calico/status.go
index ef6b0ee95..423fe7426 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/calico/status.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/calico/status.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func CheckNetwork(ctx context.Context, snap snap.Snap) error {
 		if err := client.CheckForReadyPods(ctx, check.namespace, metav1.ListOptions{
 			LabelSelector: metav1.FormatLabelSelector(&metav1.LabelSelector{MatchLabels: check.labels}),
 		}); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("check %v failed: %w", check.name, err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("%v pods not yet ready: %w", check.name, err)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/cilium/status.go b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/cilium/status.go
index 1119acf98..45b61c79b 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/cilium/status.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/cilium/status.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func CheckNetwork(ctx context.Context, snap snap.Snap) error {
 		if err := client.CheckForReadyPods(ctx, check.namespace, metav1.ListOptions{
 			LabelSelector: metav1.FormatLabelSelector(&metav1.LabelSelector{MatchLabels: check.labels}),
 		}); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("check %v failed: %w", check.name, err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("%v pods not yet ready: %w", check.name, err)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/coredns/status.go b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/coredns/status.go
index 8a9f32ca8..629eabe87 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/coredns/status.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/features/coredns/status.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func CheckDNS(ctx context.Context, snap snap.Snap) error {
 		if err := client.CheckForReadyPods(ctx, check.namespace, metav1.ListOptions{
 			LabelSelector: metav1.FormatLabelSelector(&metav1.LabelSelector{MatchLabels: check.labels}),
 		}); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("check %v failed: %w", check.name, err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("%v pods not yet ready: %w", check.name, err)
 		}
 	}