diff --git a/jjb/voltha-e2e/voltha-2.8.yaml b/jjb/voltha-e2e/voltha-2.8.yaml
index 912e530..994a79d 100644
--- a/jjb/voltha-e2e/voltha-2.8.yaml
+++ b/jjb/voltha-e2e/voltha-2.8.yaml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
           code-branch: 'voltha-2.8'
           extraHelmFlags: '--set kafka.externalAccess.enabled=true,kafka.externalAccess.service.type=NodePort,kafka.externalAccess.service.nodePorts[0]=30201,kafka.externalAccess.service.domain=127.0.0.1'
           time-trigger: "H H/23 * * *"
-          logLevel: 'INFO'
+          logLevel: 'DEBUG'
           testTargets: |
             - target: voltha-pm-data-single-kind-att
               workflow: att
diff --git a/vars/volthaStackDeploy.groovy b/vars/volthaStackDeploy.groovy
index d432e03..452fb7d 100644
--- a/vars/volthaStackDeploy.groovy
+++ b/vars/volthaStackDeploy.groovy
@@ -106,47 +106,84 @@
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Intent: Wait until the pod completed, meaning ONOS fully deployed
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Todo: Move logic like this into a standalone script.
+//   Use jenkins stash or native JJB logic to publish out to nodes.
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 void launchVolthaStack(Map cfg) {
     enter('launchVolthaStack')
 
-    sh(label   : "Wait for VOLTHA Stack ${cfg.stackName}::${cfg.volthaNamespace} to start",
+    /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+     * % kubectl get pods
+     17:40:15  bbsim0-868479698c-z66mk                          0/1   ContainerCreating   0     6s
+     17:40:15  voltha-voltha-adapter-openolt-68c84bf786-z98rh   0/1   Running             0     8s
+
+     * % kubectl port-forward --address 0.0.0.0
+     17:40:15  error: unable to forward port because pod is not running. Current status=Pending
+     * -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+     */
+    sh(label  : "Wait for VOLTHA Stack (stack=${cfg.stackName}, namespace=${cfg.volthaNamespace}) to start",
        script : """
 
 cat <<EOM
 
 ** -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-** Wait for VOLTHA Stack ${cfg.stackName}::${cfg.volthaNamespace} to start
+** Wait for VOLTHA Stack (stack=${cfg.stackName}, namespace=${cfg.volthaNamespace}) to start
 ** -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 EOM
 
 # set -euo pipefail
-set +x #        # Noisy when commented (default: uncommented)
+set +x #                 # Logs are noisy when commented
 
 declare -i count=0
+declare -i debug=1       # uncomment to enable debugging
+# declare -i verbose=1   # uncomment to enable debugging
 vsd_log='volthaStackDeploy.tmp'
 touch \$vsd_log
+
 while true; do
 
-    ## Exit when the server begins showing signs of life
-    if grep -q '0/' \$vsd_log; then
-        echo 'volthaStackDeploy.groovy: Detected kubectl pods =~ 0/'
-        grep '0/' \$vsd_log
+    # Gather
+    kubectl get pods -n ${cfg.volthaNamespace} \
+        -l app.kubernetes.io/part-of=voltha --no-headers \
+        > \$vsd_log
+
+    count=\$((\$count - 1))
+
+    # Display activity every iteration ?
+    [[ -v verbose ]] && { count=0; }
+
+    # Display activity every minute or so {sleep(5) x count=10}
+    if [[ \$count -lt 1 ]]; then
+        count=10
+        cat \$vsd_log
+    fi
+
+    ## -----------------------
+    ## Probe for cluster state 
+    ## -----------------------
+    if grep -q -e 'ContainerCreating' \$vsd_log; then
+        echo -e '\nvolthaStackDeploy.groovy: ContainerCrating active'
+        [[ -v debug ]] && grep -e 'ContainerCreating' \$vsd_log
+    elif grep -q -e '0/' \$vsd_log; then
+        echo -e '\nvolthaStackDeploy.groovy: Waiting for status=Running'
+        [[ -v debug ]] && grep -e '0/' \$vsd_log
+    elif ! grep -q '/' \$vsd_log; then
+        echo -e '\nvolthaStackDeploy.groovy: Waiting for initial pod activity'
+        [[ ! -v verbose ]] && { cat \$vsd_log; }
+    # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # An extra conditon needed here but shell coding is tricky:
+    #    "svc x/y Running 0 6s
+    #    Verify (x == y) && (x > 0)
+    # Wait until job failure/we have an actual need for it. 
+    # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    else
+        echo -e '\nvolthaStackDeploy.groovy: Voltha stack has launched'
+        [[ ! -v verbose ]] && { cat \$vsd_log; }
         break
     fi
 
+    ## Support argument --timeout (?)
     sleep 5
-    count=\$((\$count - 1))
-
-    if [[ \$count -lt 1 ]]; then # [DEBUG] Display activity every minute or so
-        count=10
-        kubectl get pods -n ${cfg.volthaNamespace} \
-            -l app.kubernetes.io/part-of=voltha --no-headers \
-            | tee \$vsd_log
-    else
-        kubectl get pods -n ${cfg.volthaNamespace} \
-            -l app.kubernetes.io/part-of=voltha --no-headers \
-            > \$vsd_log
-    fi
 
 done
 rm -f \$vsd_log