diff --git a/pkg/framework/framework.go b/pkg/framework/framework.go
index ff705ce57..f844c3796 100644
--- a/pkg/framework/framework.go
+++ b/pkg/framework/framework.go
@@ -120,14 +120,14 @@ func LoadClientset() (*kubernetes.Clientset, error) {
 	return kubernetes.NewForConfig(cfg)
 }
 
-func IsStatusAvailable(client runtimeclient.Client, name string) bool {
+func WaitForStatusAvailable(client runtimeclient.Client, name string) bool {
 	key := types.NamespacedName{
 		Namespace: MachineAPINamespace,
 		Name:      name,
 	}
 	clusterOperator := &configv1.ClusterOperator{}
 
-	if err := wait.PollImmediate(RetryShort, WaitShort, func() (bool, error) {
+	if err := wait.PollImmediate(RetryShort, 10*time.Minute, func() (bool, error) {
 		if err := client.Get(context.TODO(), key, clusterOperator); err != nil {
 			klog.Errorf("error querying api for OperatorStatus object: %v, retrying...", err)
 			return false, nil
@@ -152,6 +152,27 @@ func IsStatusAvailable(client runtimeclient.Client, name string) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+func IsStatusDegraded(client runtimeclient.Client, name string) (bool, error) {
+	key := types.NamespacedName{
+		Namespace: MachineAPINamespace,
+		Name:      name,
+	}
+	clusterOperator := &configv1.ClusterOperator{}
+	if err := client.Get(context.TODO(), key, clusterOperator); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("error querying api for OperatorStatus object: %v, retrying...", err)
+	}
+
+	isAvailable := cov1helpers.IsStatusConditionTrue(clusterOperator.Status.Conditions, configv1.OperatorAvailable)
+	isDegraded := cov1helpers.IsStatusConditionTrue(clusterOperator.Status.Conditions, configv1.OperatorDegraded)
+	isProgressing := cov1helpers.IsStatusConditionTrue(clusterOperator.Status.Conditions, configv1.OperatorProgressing)
+
+	klog.Infof("Condition: %q is %v, expected true", configv1.OperatorAvailable, isAvailable)
+	klog.Infof("Condition: %q is %v, expected true", configv1.OperatorDegraded, isDegraded)
+	klog.Infof("Condition: %q is %v, expected false", configv1.OperatorProgressing, isProgressing)
+
+	return isAvailable && isDegraded && !isProgressing, nil
+}
+
 func WaitForValidatingWebhook(client runtimeclient.Client, name string) bool {
 	key := types.NamespacedName{Name: name}
 	webhook := &admissionregistrationv1beta1.ValidatingWebhookConfiguration{}
diff --git a/pkg/operators/cluster-autoscaler-operator.go b/pkg/operators/cluster-autoscaler-operator.go
index b6db4238a..baae60eda 100644
--- a/pkg/operators/cluster-autoscaler-operator.go
+++ b/pkg/operators/cluster-autoscaler-operator.go
@@ -92,6 +92,6 @@ var _ = Describe("[Feature:Operators] Cluster autoscaler cluster operator status
 		var err error
 		client, err := framework.LoadClient()
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(framework.IsStatusAvailable(client, "cluster-autoscaler")).To(BeTrue())
+		Expect(framework.WaitForStatusAvailable(client, "cluster-autoscaler")).To(BeTrue())
 	})
 })
diff --git a/pkg/operators/cluster-machine-approver.go b/pkg/operators/cluster-machine-approver.go
index 0b19a0630..7322995bb 100644
--- a/pkg/operators/cluster-machine-approver.go
+++ b/pkg/operators/cluster-machine-approver.go
@@ -26,6 +26,6 @@ var _ = Describe("[Feature:Operators] Cluster Machine Approver Cluster Operator
 		client, err := framework.LoadClient()
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
-		Expect(framework.IsStatusAvailable(client, cmaClusterOperator)).To(BeTrue())
+		Expect(framework.WaitForStatusAvailable(client, cmaClusterOperator)).To(BeTrue())
 	})
 })
diff --git a/pkg/operators/machine-api-operator.go b/pkg/operators/machine-api-operator.go
index 3df02cafa..d48e081e3 100644
--- a/pkg/operators/machine-api-operator.go
+++ b/pkg/operators/machine-api-operator.go
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 package operators
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	"github.com/openshift/cluster-api-actuator-pkg/pkg/framework"
+	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/klog"
 	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -73,6 +77,47 @@ var _ = Describe("[Feature:Operators] Machine API cluster operator status should
 	It("be available", func() {
 		client, err := framework.LoadClient()
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(framework.IsStatusAvailable(client, "machine-api")).To(BeTrue())
+		Expect(framework.WaitForStatusAvailable(client, "machine-api")).To(BeTrue())
+	})
+
+	It("be degraded when a pod owned by the operator is prevented from being available", func() {
+		c, err := framework.LoadClient()
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+		// https://github.com/openshift/machine-api-operator/blob/d234cceb5de18b83aa0609d17db7d835f2d78973/pkg/operator/sync.go#L310-L313
+		mAPIControllersLabels := map[string]string{
+			"api":     "clusterapi",
+			"k8s-app": "controller",
+		}
+
+		Eventually(func() (bool, error) {
+			// get machine API controllers pods
+			podList := &v1.PodList{}
+			if err := c.List(context.TODO(), podList, client.MatchingLabels(mAPIControllersLabels)); err != nil {
+				klog.Errorf("failed to list pods: %v", err)
+				return false, nil
+			}
+			if len(podList.Items) < 1 {
+				klog.Errorf("list of pods is empty")
+				return false, nil
+			}
+
+			// delete machine API controllers pods
+			for k := range podList.Items {
+				if err := c.Delete(context.Background(), &podList.Items[k]); err != nil {
+					klog.Errorf("failed to delete pod: %v", err)
+					return false, nil
+				}
+			}
+
+			isStatusDegraded, err := framework.IsStatusDegraded(c, "machine-api")
+			if err != nil {
+				return false, nil
+			}
+
+			return isStatusDegraded, nil
+		}, framework.WaitLong, framework.RetryShort).Should(BeTrue())
+
+		Expect(framework.WaitForStatusAvailable(c, "machine-api")).To(BeTrue())
 	})
 })