diff --git a/tempest/api/image/v2/test_images.py b/tempest/api/image/v2/test_images.py
index efa23bb83a..d283ab3c1f 100644
--- a/tempest/api/image/v2/test_images.py
+++ b/tempest/api/image/v2/test_images.py
@@ -105,12 +105,10 @@ class ImportImagesTest(base.BaseV2ImageTest):
                      'validate the image/tasks API.')
             return
 
-        # Make sure we can access the task and that some of the key
-        # fields look legit.
-        tasks = self.client.show_image_tasks(image_id)
-        self.assertEqual(1, len(tasks['tasks']))
-        task = tasks['tasks'][0]
-        self.assertEqual('success', task['status'])
+        tasks = waiters.wait_for_image_tasks_status(
+            self.client, image_id, 'success')
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(tasks))
+        task = tasks[0]
         self.assertEqual(resp.response['x-openstack-request-id'],
                          task['request_id'])
         self.assertEqual('glance-direct',
diff --git a/tempest/common/waiters.py b/tempest/common/waiters.py
index eaac05e6dd..3750b113f8 100644
--- a/tempest/common/waiters.py
+++ b/tempest/common/waiters.py
@@ -193,6 +193,30 @@ def wait_for_image_status(client, image_id, status):
     raise lib_exc.TimeoutException(message)
 
 
+def wait_for_image_tasks_status(client, image_id, status):
+    """Waits for an image tasks to reach a given status."""
+    pending_tasks = []
+    start = int(time.time())
+    while int(time.time()) - start < client.build_timeout:
+        tasks = client.show_image_tasks(image_id)['tasks']
+
+        pending_tasks = [task for task in tasks if task['status'] != status]
+        if not pending_tasks:
+            return tasks
+        time.sleep(client.build_interval)
+
+    message = ('Image %(image_id)s tasks: %(pending_tasks)s '
+               'failed to reach %(status)s state within the required '
+               'time (%(timeout)s s).' % {'image_id': image_id,
+                                          'pending_tasks': pending_tasks,
+                                          'status': status,
+                                          'timeout': client.build_timeout})
+    caller = test_utils.find_test_caller()
+    if caller:
+        message = '(%s) %s' % (caller, message)
+    raise lib_exc.TimeoutException(message)
+
+
 def wait_for_image_imported_to_stores(client, image_id, stores=None):
     """Waits for an image to be imported to all requested stores.
 
diff --git a/tempest/tests/common/test_waiters.py b/tempest/tests/common/test_waiters.py
index d64d7b020f..f801243011 100755
--- a/tempest/tests/common/test_waiters.py
+++ b/tempest/tests/common/test_waiters.py
@@ -120,6 +120,29 @@ class TestImageWaiters(base.TestCase):
                           waiters.wait_for_image_copied_to_stores,
                           self.client, 'fake_image_id')
 
+    def test_wait_for_image_tasks_status(self):
+        self.client.show_image_tasks.return_value = ({
+            'tasks': [{'status': 'success'}]})
+        start_time = int(time.time())
+        waiters.wait_for_image_tasks_status(
+            self.client, 'fake_image_id', 'success')
+        end_time = int(time.time())
+        # Ensure waiter returns before build_timeout
+        self.assertLess((end_time - start_time), 10)
+
+    def test_wait_for_image_tasks_status_timeout(self):
+        time_mock = self.patch('time.time')
+        self.patch('time.time', side_effect=[0., 1.])
+        time_mock.side_effect = utils.generate_timeout_series(1)
+
+        self.client.show_image_tasks.return_value = ({
+            'tasks': [
+                {'status': 'success'},
+                {'status': 'processing'}]})
+        self.assertRaises(lib_exc.TimeoutException,
+                          waiters.wait_for_image_tasks_status,
+                          self.client, 'fake_image_id', 'success')
+
 
 class TestInterfaceWaiters(base.TestCase):