diff --git a/internal/raft/cluster.go b/internal/raft/cluster.go
index 307a4c6e8..a641307a7 100644
--- a/internal/raft/cluster.go
+++ b/internal/raft/cluster.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package raft
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
@@ -14,11 +13,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 type RaftConfig struct {
-	InitialMembers []string `help:"Initial members" required:""`
-	ReplicaID      uint64   `help:"Node ID" required:""`
-	DataDir        string   `help:"Data directory" required:""`
-	RaftAddress    string   `help:"Address to advertise to other nodes" required:""`
-	ListenAddress  string   `help:"Address to listen for incoming traffic. If empty, RaftAddress will be used."`
+	InitialMembers    []string      `help:"Initial members" required:""`
+	ReplicaID         uint64        `help:"Node ID" required:""`
+	DataDir           string        `help:"Data directory" required:""`
+	RaftAddress       string        `help:"Address to advertise to other nodes" required:""`
+	ListenAddress     string        `help:"Address to listen for incoming traffic. If empty, RaftAddress will be used."`
+	ShardReadyTimeout time.Duration `help:"Timeout for shard to be ready" default:"5s"`
 	// Raft configuration
 	RTT                time.Duration `help:"Estimated average round trip time between nodes" default:"200ms"`
 	ElectionRTT        uint64        `help:"Election RTT as a multiple of RTT" default:"10"`
@@ -196,15 +196,28 @@ func (c *Cluster) AddMember(ctx context.Context, shardID uint64, replicaID uint6
 }
 
 func (c *Cluster) waitReady(ctx context.Context, shardID uint64) error {
-	retry := backoff.Backoff{}
+	retry := backoff.Backoff{
+		Min:    5 * time.Millisecond,
+		Max:    c.config.ShardReadyTimeout,
+		Factor: 2,
+		Jitter: true,
+	}
 	for {
-		_, err := c.nh.SyncGetShardMembership(ctx, shardID)
-		if err == nil {
-			return nil
+		rs, err := c.nh.ReadIndex(shardID, c.config.ShardReadyTimeout)
+		if err != nil || rs == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read index: %w", err)
 		}
-		if !errors.Is(err, dragonboat.ErrShardNotReady) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to get shard membership: %w", err)
+		res := <-rs.ResultC()
+		rs.Release()
+		if !res.Completed() {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return fmt.Errorf("context cancelled")
+			case <-time.After(retry.Duration()):
+			}
+			continue
 		}
-		time.Sleep(retry.Duration())
+		break
 	}
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/raft/cluster_test.go b/internal/raft/cluster_test.go
index 8d17435e0..ad350e9c4 100644
--- a/internal/raft/cluster_test.go
+++ b/internal/raft/cluster_test.go
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ func testCluster(t *testing.T, members []string, id uint64, address string) *raf
 		SnapshotEntries:    10,
 		CompactionOverhead: 10,
 		RTT:                10 * time.Millisecond,
+		ShardReadyTimeout:  1 * time.Second,
 	})
 }