diff --git a/tests/python_client/utils/util_k8s.py b/tests/python_client/utils/util_k8s.py
index a2bfe676c1..57c646bac6 100644
--- a/tests/python_client/utils/util_k8s.py
+++ b/tests/python_client/utils/util_k8s.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from kubernetes.client.rest import ApiException
 from utils.util_log import test_log as log
 
 
-def wait_pods_ready(namespace, label_selector, timeout=360):
+def wait_pods_ready(namespace, label_selector, expected_num=None, timeout=360):
     """
     wait pods with label selector all ready
 
@@ -14,12 +14,15 @@ def wait_pods_ready(namespace, label_selector, timeout=360):
     :param label_selector: labels to restrict which pods are waiting to be ready
     :type label_selector: str
 
+    :param expected_num: expected the minimum number of pods to be ready if not None
+    :type expected_num: int
+
     :param timeout: limits the duration of the call
     :type timeout: int
 
     :example:
-            >>> wait_pods_ready("default", "app.kubernetes.io/instance=scale-query")
-        """
+            >>> wait_pods_ready("default", "app.kubernetes.io/instance=scale-query", expected_num=9)
+    """
     config.load_kube_config()
     api_instance = client.CoreV1Api()
     try:
@@ -28,12 +31,15 @@ def wait_pods_ready(namespace, label_selector, timeout=360):
         while not all_pos_ready_flag and time_cnt < timeout:
             api_response = api_instance.list_namespaced_pod(namespace=namespace, label_selector=label_selector)
             all_pos_ready_flag = True
-            for item in api_response.items:
-                for c in item.status.container_statuses:
-                    log.info(f"{c.name} status is {c.ready}")
-                    if c.ready is False:
-                        all_pos_ready_flag = False
-                        break
+            if expected_num is not None and len(api_response.items) < expected_num:
+                all_pos_ready_flag = False
+            else:
+                for item in api_response.items:
+                    for c in item.status.container_statuses:
+                        log.info(f"{c.name} status is {c.ready}")
+                        if c.ready is False:
+                            all_pos_ready_flag = False
+                            break
             if not all_pos_ready_flag:
                 log.info("all pods are not ready, please wait")
                 time.sleep(30)