diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/hardware.py b/ironic_python_agent/hardware.py
index 3e74d350d..ac7e25d3f 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/hardware.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/hardware.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import abc
 import functools
 import os
 import shlex
+import time
 
 import netifaces
 from oslo_concurrency import processutils
@@ -38,6 +39,9 @@ UNIT_CONVERTER = pint.UnitRegistry(filename=None)
 UNIT_CONVERTER.define('MB = []')
 UNIT_CONVERTER.define('GB = 1024 MB')
 
+_DISK_WAIT_ATTEMPTS = 10
+_DISK_WAIT_DELAY = 3
+
 
 def _get_device_vendor(dev):
     """Get the vendor name of a given device."""
@@ -394,8 +398,27 @@ class GenericHardwareManager(HardwareManager):
         self.sys_path = '/sys'
 
     def evaluate_hardware_support(self):
+        # Do some initialization before we declare ourself ready
+        self._wait_for_disks()
         return HardwareSupport.GENERIC
 
+    def _wait_for_disks(self):
+        # Wait for at least one suitable disk to show up, otherwise neither
+        # inspection not deployment have any chances to succeed.
+        for attempt in range(_DISK_WAIT_ATTEMPTS):
+            try:
+                block_devices = self.list_block_devices()
+                utils.guess_root_disk(block_devices)
+            except errors.DeviceNotFound:
+                LOG.debug('Still waiting for at least one disk to appear, '
+                          'attempt %d of %d', attempt + 1, _DISK_WAIT_ATTEMPTS)
+                time.sleep(_DISK_WAIT_DELAY)
+            else:
+                break
+        else:
+            LOG.warning('No disks detected in %d seconds',
+                        _DISK_WAIT_DELAY * _DISK_WAIT_ATTEMPTS)
+
     def _get_interface_info(self, interface_name):
         addr_path = '{0}/class/net/{1}/address'.format(self.sys_path,
                                                        interface_name)
diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_agent.py b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_agent.py
index b51e68518..9885014a4 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_agent.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_agent.py
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ class TestHeartbeater(test_base.BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(2.7, self.heartbeater.error_delay)
 
 
+@mock.patch.object(hardware.GenericHardwareManager, '_wait_for_disks',
+                   lambda self: None)
 class TestBaseAgent(test_base.BaseTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
@@ -294,6 +296,8 @@ class TestBaseAgent(test_base.BaseTestCase):
                           self.agent.get_node_uuid)
 
 
+@mock.patch.object(hardware.GenericHardwareManager, '_wait_for_disks',
+                   lambda self: None)
 class TestAgentStandalone(test_base.BaseTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
@@ -338,6 +342,8 @@ class TestAgentStandalone(test_base.BaseTestCase):
         self.assertFalse(self.agent.api_client.lookup_node.called)
 
 
+@mock.patch.object(hardware.GenericHardwareManager, '_wait_for_disks',
+                   lambda self: None)
 @mock.patch.object(socket, 'gethostbyname', autospec=True)
 @mock.patch.object(utils, 'execute', autospec=True)
 class TestAdvertiseAddress(test_base.BaseTestCase):
diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_hardware.py b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_hardware.py
index 5c0b60814..1aa04c624 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_hardware.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/tests/unit/test_hardware.py
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+import os
+import time
+
 import mock
 import netifaces
-import os
 from oslo_concurrency import processutils
 from oslo_utils import units
 from oslotest import base as test_base
@@ -1084,6 +1086,40 @@ class TestGenericHardwareManager(test_base.BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual('NEC',
                          self.hardware.get_system_vendor_info().manufacturer)
 
+    @mock.patch.object(hardware.GenericHardwareManager, 'list_block_devices',
+                       autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch.object(time, 'sleep', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch.object(utils, 'guess_root_disk', autospec=True)
+    def test_evaluate_hw_waits_for_disks(self, mocked_root_dev, mocked_sleep,
+                                         mocked_block_dev):
+        mocked_root_dev.side_effect = [
+            errors.DeviceNotFound('boom'),
+            None
+        ]
+
+        result = self.hardware.evaluate_hardware_support()
+
+        self.assertEqual(hardware.HardwareSupport.GENERIC, result)
+        mocked_root_dev.assert_called_with(mocked_block_dev.return_value)
+        self.assertEqual(2, mocked_root_dev.call_count)
+        mocked_sleep.assert_called_once_with(hardware._DISK_WAIT_DELAY)
+
+    @mock.patch.object(hardware.GenericHardwareManager, 'list_block_devices',
+                       autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch.object(time, 'sleep', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch.object(utils, 'guess_root_disk', autospec=True)
+    def test_evaluate_hw_disks_timeout(self, mocked_root_dev, mocked_sleep,
+                                       mocked_block_dev):
+        mocked_root_dev.side_effect = errors.DeviceNotFound('boom')
+
+        result = self.hardware.evaluate_hardware_support()
+
+        self.assertEqual(hardware.HardwareSupport.GENERIC, result)
+        mocked_root_dev.assert_called_with(mocked_block_dev.return_value)
+        self.assertEqual(hardware._DISK_WAIT_ATTEMPTS,
+                         mocked_root_dev.call_count)
+        mocked_sleep.assert_called_with(hardware._DISK_WAIT_DELAY)
+
 
 @mock.patch.object(utils, 'execute', autospec=True)
 class TestModuleFunctions(test_base.BaseTestCase):
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/disk-wait-2e0e85e0947f80e9.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/disk-wait-2e0e85e0947f80e9.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b5ea703d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/disk-wait-2e0e85e0947f80e9.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - On start up wait up to 30 seconds for the first disk device suitable for
+    deployment to appear. This is to fix both inspection and deployment on
+    hardware that takes long to initialize (e.g. some RAID devices).