diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/extensions/test_standby.py b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/extensions/test_standby.py
index 97dffbe8e..559a15bb9 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/extensions/test_standby.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/extensions/test_standby.py
@@ -1385,15 +1385,15 @@ class TestStandbyExtension(base.IronicAgentTest):
 
         self.agent_extension._sync_clock()
 
-        calls = [mock.call('chronyd', check_exit_code=[0, 1]),
-                 mock.call('chronyc', 'add', 'server', '192.168.1.1'),
-                 mock.call('chronyc', 'makestep'),
+        calls = [mock.call('chronyc', 'shutdown', check_exit_code=[0, 1]),
+                 mock.call("chronyd -q 'server 192.168.1.1 iburst'",
+                           shell=True),
                  mock.call('hwclock', '-v', '--systohc')]
         execute_mock.assert_has_calls(calls)
 
         execute_mock.reset_mock()
         execute_mock.side_effect = [
-            ('', ''), ('', ''), ('', ''),
+            ('', ''), ('', ''),
             processutils.ProcessExecutionError('boop')
         ]
 
diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_utils.py
index eb6520f01..bfad67f08 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -856,27 +856,8 @@ class TestClockSyncUtils(ironic_agent_base.IronicAgentTest):
         mock_time_method.return_value = 'chronyd'
         utils.sync_clock()
         mock_execute.assert_has_calls([
-            mock.call('chronyd', check_exit_code=[0, 1]),
-            mock.call('chronyc', 'add', 'server', '192.168.1.1'),
-            mock.call('chronyc', 'makestep'),
-        ])
-
-    @mock.patch.object(utils, 'determine_time_method', autospec=True)
-    def test_sync_clock_chrony_already_present(self, mock_time_method,
-                                               mock_execute):
-        self.config(ntp_server='192.168.1.1')
-        mock_time_method.return_value = 'chronyd'
-        mock_execute.side_effect = [
-            ('', ''),
-            processutils.ProcessExecutionError(
-                stderr='Source already present'),
-            ('', ''),
-        ]
-        utils.sync_clock()
-        mock_execute.assert_has_calls([
-            mock.call('chronyd', check_exit_code=[0, 1]),
-            mock.call('chronyc', 'add', 'server', '192.168.1.1'),
-            mock.call('chronyc', 'makestep'),
+            mock.call('chronyc', 'shutdown', check_exit_code=[0, 1]),
+            mock.call("chronyd -q 'server 192.168.1.1 iburst'", shell=True),
         ])
 
     @mock.patch.object(utils, 'determine_time_method', autospec=True)
@@ -889,12 +870,8 @@ class TestClockSyncUtils(ironic_agent_base.IronicAgentTest):
             processutils.ProcessExecutionError(stderr='time verboten'),
         ]
         self.assertRaisesRegex(errors.CommandExecutionError,
-                               'Error occured adding ntp',
-                               utils.sync_clock)
-        mock_execute.assert_has_calls([
-            mock.call('chronyd', check_exit_code=[0, 1]),
-            mock.call('chronyc', 'add', 'server', '192.168.1.1'),
-        ])
+                               'Failed to sync time using chrony to ntp '
+                               'server:', utils.sync_clock)
 
     @mock.patch.object(utils, 'determine_time_method', autospec=True)
     def test_sync_clock_none(self, mock_time_method, mock_execute):
diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/utils.py b/ironic_python_agent/utils.py
index b5d0533a1..2fc60ff1c 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/utils.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/utils.py
@@ -835,21 +835,11 @@ def sync_clock(ignore_errors=False):
                 raise errors.CommandExecutionError(msg)
     elif method == 'chronyd':
         try:
-            # 0 should be if chronyd started
-            # 1 if already running
-            execute('chronyd', check_exit_code=[0, 1])
-            # NOTE(TheJulia): Once started, chronyd forks and stays in the
-            # background as a server service, it will continue to keep the
-            # clock in sync.
-            try:
-                execute('chronyc', 'add', 'server', CONF.ntp_server)
-            except processutils.ProcessExecutionError as e:
-                if 'Source already present' not in str(e):
-                    msg = 'Error occured adding ntp server: %s' % e
-                    LOG.error(msg)
-                    raise errors.CommandExecutionError(msg)
-            # Force the clock to sync now.
-            execute('chronyc', 'makestep')
+            # stop chronyd, ignore if it ran before or not
+            execute('chronyc', 'shutdown', check_exit_code=[0, 1])
+            # force a time sync now
+            query = "server " + CONF.ntp_server + " iburst"
+            execute("chronyd -q \'%s\'" % query, shell=True)
             LOG.debug('Set software clock using chrony')
         except (processutils.ProcessExecutionError,
                 errors.CommandExecutionError) as e:
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/fix_chronyd_time_sync-626a14b66ca37677.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/fix_chronyd_time_sync-626a14b66ca37677.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cbe25dfc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/fix_chronyd_time_sync-626a14b66ca37677.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes an issue where the NTP time sync at the IPA startup via chronyd is
+    not immediate (which can break time sensitive components such as the
+    generation of a TLS certificate).