diff --git a/internal/cluster/orchestrator.go b/internal/cluster/orchestrator.go
index 86c37c3..0d8a6d6 100644
--- a/internal/cluster/orchestrator.go
+++ b/internal/cluster/orchestrator.go
@@ -370,6 +370,9 @@ func (o *Orchestrator) Startup(ctx context.Context, opts StartupOptions) (err er
 		}
 		return nil
 	})
+	if err := o.waitForStartupConvergence(ctx); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	if o.cfg.Startup.RequirePostStartProbes {
 		if err := o.waitForPostStartProbes(ctx); err != nil {
 			o.noteStartupCheck("post-start-probes", false, err.Error())
@@ -377,9 +380,6 @@ func (o *Orchestrator) Startup(ctx context.Context, opts StartupOptions) (err er
 		}
 		o.noteStartupCheck("post-start-probes", true, "post-start probes passed")
 	}
-	if err := o.waitForStartupConvergence(ctx); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	o.log.Printf("startup flow complete")
 	return nil
 }