diff --git a/pkg/controller/controller.go b/pkg/controller/controller.go
index a8de1bbeba..b70a5139c2 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/controller.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package controller
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue"
@@ -47,6 +48,10 @@ type Options struct {
 	// Log is the logger used for this controller and passed to each reconciliation
 	// request via the context field.
 	Log logr.Logger
+
+	// CacheSyncTimeout refers to the time limit set to wait for syncing caches.
+	// Defaults to 10 seconds if not set.
+	CacheSyncTimeout time.Duration
 }
 
 // Controller implements a Kubernetes API.  A Controller manages a work queue fed reconcile.Requests
@@ -112,6 +117,10 @@ func NewUnmanaged(name string, mgr manager.Manager, options Options) (Controller
 		options.Log = mgr.GetLogger()
 	}
 
+	if options.CacheSyncTimeout == 0 {
+		options.CacheSyncTimeout = 10 * time.Second
+	}
+
 	// Inject dependencies into Reconciler
 	if err := mgr.SetFields(options.Reconciler); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -124,6 +133,7 @@ func NewUnmanaged(name string, mgr manager.Manager, options Options) (Controller
 			return workqueue.NewNamedRateLimitingQueue(options.RateLimiter, name)
 		},
 		MaxConcurrentReconciles: options.MaxConcurrentReconciles,
+		CacheSyncTimeout:        options.CacheSyncTimeout,
 		SetFields:               mgr.SetFields,
 		Name:                    name,
 		Log:                     options.Log.WithName("controller").WithName(name),
diff --git a/pkg/internal/controller/controller.go b/pkg/internal/controller/controller.go
index 83866606c2..0ce0966dc0 100644
--- a/pkg/internal/controller/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/internal/controller/controller.go
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ type Controller struct {
 	// undergo a major refactoring and redesign to allow for context to not be stored in a struct.
 	ctx context.Context
 
+	// CacheSyncTimeout refers to the time limit set on waiting cache to sync
+	// Defaults to 10 seconds if not set.
+	CacheSyncTimeout time.Duration
+
 	// startWatches maintains a list of sources, handlers, and predicates to start when the controller is started.
 	startWatches []watchDescription
 
@@ -169,7 +173,10 @@ func (c *Controller) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 			if !ok {
 				continue
 			}
-			if err := syncingSource.WaitForSync(ctx); err != nil {
+			ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, c.CacheSyncTimeout)
+			defer cancel()
+			if err := syncingSource.WaitForSync(ct); err != nil {
+				c.Log.Info("skipping it")
 				// This code is unreachable in case of kube watches since WaitForCacheSync will never return an error
 				// Leaving it here because that could happen in the future
 				err := fmt.Errorf("failed to wait for %s caches to sync: %w", c.Name, err)
diff --git a/pkg/internal/controller/controller_test.go b/pkg/internal/controller/controller_test.go
index 10c6e34d88..4dddcec725 100644
--- a/pkg/internal/controller/controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/internal/controller/controller_test.go
@@ -122,6 +122,29 @@ var _ = Describe("controller", func() {
 			close(done)
 		})
 
+		It("should wait for each informer to sync", func(done Done) {
+			// TODO(directxman12): this test doesn't do what it says it does
+			ctrl.CacheSyncTimeout = 1 * time.Nanosecond
+			c, err := cache.New(cfg, cache.Options{})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			_, err = c.GetInformer(context.TODO(), &appsv1.Deployment{})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			_, err = c.GetInformer(context.TODO(), &appsv1.ReplicaSet{})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			ctrl.startWatches = []watchDescription{{
+				src: source.NewKindWithCache(&appsv1.Deployment{}, &informertest.FakeInformers{}),
+			}, {
+				src: source.NewKindWithCache(&appsv1.ReplicaSet{}, &informertest.FakeInformers{}),
+			}}
+
+			// Use a cancelled context so Start doesn't block
+			// ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+			// cancel()
+			Expect(ctrl.Start(context.Background())).To(HaveOccurred())
+
+			close(done)
+		})
+
 		It("should call Start on sources with the appropriate EventHandler, Queue, and Predicates", func() {
 			pr1 := &predicate.Funcs{}
 			pr2 := &predicate.Funcs{}
diff --git a/pkg/source/source_test.go b/pkg/source/source_test.go
index 1a0c6146d6..e32b3e51e6 100644
--- a/pkg/source/source_test.go
+++ b/pkg/source/source_test.go
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Source", func() {
 			instance := source.Kind{}
 			f := false
 			Expect(instance.InjectCache(&informertest.FakeInformers{Synced: &f})).To(Succeed())
-			err := instance.WaitForSync(nil)
+			err := instance.WaitForSync(context.Background())
 			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
 			Expect(err.Error()).To(Equal("cache did not sync"))
 
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Source", func() {
 		It("should return an error if syncing fails", func(done Done) {
 			f := false
 			instance := source.NewKindWithCache(nil, &informertest.FakeInformers{Synced: &f})
-			err := instance.WaitForSync(nil)
+			err := instance.WaitForSync(context.Background())
 			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
 			Expect(err.Error()).To(Equal("cache did not sync"))