diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-for-default-ns.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci-for-default-ns.yaml
index fba98fad..ced19693 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-for-default-ns.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-for-default-ns.yaml
@@ -56,9 +56,11 @@ jobs:
           kubectl rook_ceph ceph status
           kubectl rook_ceph ceph status -f json
           kubectl rook_ceph ceph status --format json-pretty
+          POD=$(kubectl -n rook-ceph get pod -l app=rook-ceph-operator -o jsonpath="{.items[0].metadata.name}")
           kubectl rook_ceph operator restart
 
           # let's wait for operator pod to be restart
+          kubectl -n rook-ceph wait --for=delete pod/$POD --timeout=100s
           tests/github-action-helper.sh wait_for_operator_pod_to_be_ready_state_default
           kubectl rook_ceph operator set ROOK_LOG_LEVEL DEBUG
           kubectl rook_ceph --context=$(kubectl config current-context) mons
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-for-diff-ns.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci-for-diff-ns.yaml
index 9fbd6b66..0b65e9bd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-for-diff-ns.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-for-diff-ns.yaml
@@ -33,9 +33,11 @@ jobs:
           kubectl rook_ceph -o test-operator -n test-cluster ceph status
           kubectl rook_ceph -o test-operator -n test-cluster ceph status -f json
           kubectl rook_ceph -o test-operator -n test-cluster ceph status --format json-pretty
+          POD=$(kubectl -n test-operator get pod -l app=rook-ceph-operator -o jsonpath="{.items[0].metadata.name}")
           kubectl rook_ceph -o test-operator -n test-cluster operator restart
 
           # let's wait for operator pod to be restart
+          kubectl -n test-operator wait --for=delete pod/$POD --timeout=100s
           tests/github-action-helper.sh wait_for_operator_pod_to_be_ready_state_custom
           kubectl rook_ceph -o test-operator -n test-cluster operator set ROOK_LOG_LEVEL DEBUG
           kubectl rook_ceph -o test-operator -n test-cluster --context=$(kubectl config current-context) mons
diff --git a/tests/github-action-helper.sh b/tests/github-action-helper.sh
index 543d09c8..3a8213a8 100755
--- a/tests/github-action-helper.sh
+++ b/tests/github-action-helper.sh
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ EOF
 }
 
 wait_for_operator_pod_to_be_ready_state_default() {
-  timeout 10 bash <<-'EOF'
+  timeout 100 bash <<-'EOF'
     until [ $(kubectl get pod -l app=rook-ceph-operator -n rook-ceph -o jsonpath='{.items[*].metadata.name}' -o custom-columns=READY:status.containerStatuses[*].ready | grep -c true) -eq 1 ]; do
       echo "waiting for the operator to be in ready state"
       sleep 1
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ EOF
 }
 
 wait_for_operator_pod_to_be_ready_state_custom() {
-  timeout 10 bash <<-'EOF'
+  timeout 100 bash <<-'EOF'
     until [ $(kubectl get pod -l app=rook-ceph-operator -n test-operator -o jsonpath='{.items[*].metadata.name}' -o custom-columns=READY:status.containerStatuses[*].ready | grep -c true) -eq 1 ]; do
       echo "waiting for the operator to be in ready state"
       sleep 1