diff --git a/tests/scripts/stub/kubectl b/tests/scripts/stub/kubectl
index 4859f10..3670464 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/stub/kubectl
+++ b/tests/scripts/stub/kubectl
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@ done
 
 case "$args" in
     *" get crd helmcharts.helm.cattle.io "*) ;;
+    *" crd/"*)
+        if [ -s "$WORK_DIR/crds-appear-after" ]; then
+            left="$(cat "$WORK_DIR/crds-appear-after")"
+            echo $((left - 1)) >"$WORK_DIR/crds-appear-after"
+            if [ "$left" -gt 0 ]; then
+                crd="$(printf '%s' "$args" | sed -n 's#.* crd/\([^ ]*\).*#\1#p')"
+                echo "Error from server (NotFound): customresourcedefinitions.apiextensions.k8s.io \"$crd\" not found" >&2
+                exit 1
+            fi
+        fi
+        ;;
     *" apply --server-side "*) if [ -n "$file" ]; then cat "$file" >>"$WORK_DIR/server-side-applied"; fi ;;
     *" apply -f - "*) cat >"$WORK_DIR/applied" ;;
     *" get service traefik "*'{.spec.type}'*)
diff --git a/tests/scripts/traefik_install_test.sh b/tests/scripts/traefik_install_test.sh
index 379f038..b6dda4f 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/traefik_install_test.sh
+++ b/tests/scripts/traefik_install_test.sh
@@ -436,6 +436,13 @@ test_traefik_already_on_the_image_pulls_nothing() {
     assert_not_contains "$(cat "$WORK_DIR/calls")" "run traefik-pull"
 }
 
+test_gateway_api_crds_k3s_has_yet_to_create_are_waited_for() {
+    echo helmchart.helm.cattle.io/gateway-api-crd >"$WORK_DIR/helmcharts-gateway-api-crd"
+    echo 1 >"$WORK_DIR/crds-appear-after"
+    run_install install_traefik
+    assert_contains "$(cat "$WORK_DIR/calls")" "wait --for=condition=Established crd/gatewayclasses.gateway.networking.k8s.io"
+}
+
 test_a_first_install_pulls_nothing() {
     run_install install_traefik
     assert_not_contains "$(cat "$WORK_DIR/calls")" "run traefik-pull"
diff --git a/utils/install_traefik.sh b/utils/install_traefik.sh
index 7d848a9..3ea8a96 100644
--- a/utils/install_traefik.sh
+++ b/utils/install_traefik.sh
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ carry_over_ingress_nginx_ports() {
 
 install_traefik() {
     local ports_env="${1:-$PANEL_DIR/overlays/config/traefik-config.env}"
-    local minor http_port https_port crd binding nginx crds_values left_out held object
+    local minor http_port https_port crd binding nginx crds_values left_out held object deadline
     local -a kc=() handed=()
     [ -n "${KUBECONFIG:-}" ] && kc=(--kubeconfig="$KUBECONFIG")
 
@@ -94,8 +94,18 @@ install_traefik() {
             meta.helm.sh/release-name=gateway-api-crd meta.helm.sh/release-namespace=kube-system || return 1
     fi
 
+    # k3s's gateway-api-crd release can still be on its way, and kubectl wait
+    # gives up at once on a CRD that doesn't exist yet.
+    deadline=$((SECONDS + 300))
     for crd in gatewayclasses.gateway.networking.k8s.io gateways.gateway.networking.k8s.io \
         httproutes.gateway.networking.k8s.io middlewares.traefik.io; do
+        until kubectl "${kc[@]}" get "crd/$crd" >/dev/null 2>&1; do
+            if [ "$SECONDS" -ge "$deadline" ]; then
+                err "CRD $crd was never created"
+                return 1
+            fi
+            sleep 2
+        done
         if ! output_redirect kubectl "${kc[@]}" wait --for=condition=Established "crd/$crd" --timeout=120s; then
             err "CRD $crd never became established"
             return 1