diff --git a/opl/args.py b/opl/args.py
index d63b61a..0e0771f 100644
--- a/opl/args.py
+++ b/opl/args.py
@@ -314,6 +314,13 @@ def add_locust_opts(parser):
         default=int(os.getenv("LOCUST_STOP_TIMEOUT", 10)),
         help="Locust stop timeout (also use env variable LOCUST_STOP_TIMEOUT)",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--locust-wait-for-worker-timeout",
+        dest="worker_wait_timeout"
+        type=int,
+        default=int(os.getenv("LOCUST_WAIT_FOR_WORKER_TIMEOUT", 120)),
+        help="Locust timeout [s] for waiting until worker pods are ready. (also use env variable LOCUST_WAIT_FOR_WORKER_TIMEOUT)",
+    )
 
     # Our test specific parameters
     parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/opl/locust.py b/opl/locust.py
index 3fa5a69..a9998a8 100644
--- a/opl/locust.py
+++ b/opl/locust.py
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ def run_locust(args, status_data, test_set, new_stats=False, summary_only=False)
 
         env.runner.spawn_rate = args.hatch_rate
 
+        time_spent_waiting = 0
         while len(env.runner.clients.ready) < args.expect_workers:
             logging.info(
                 "Waiting for worker to become ready, %s of %s - %s",
@@ -101,6 +102,11 @@ def run_locust(args, status_data, test_set, new_stats=False, summary_only=False)
                 ",".join([i.state for i in env.runner.clients.values()]),
             )
             time.sleep(1)
+            time_spent_waiting += 1
+            if time_spent_waiting >= args.worker_wait_timeout:
+                raise TimeoutError(
+                    f"Timed out waiting for Locust workers to get ready: {len(env.runner.clients.ready)} out of {args.expect_workers}"
+                )
 
         # Start the test
         logging.info("Starting master Locust runer")