diff --git a/pkg/cli/server/server.go b/pkg/cli/server/server.go
index cdada93cc2..ac4d2a7f4c 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/server/server.go
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ func run(app *cli.Context, cfg *cmds.Server, leaderControllers server.CustomCont
 
 	go func() {
 		if !serverConfig.ControlConfig.DisableETCD {
-			<-serverConfig.ControlConfig.Runtime.ETCDReady
+			<-executor.ETCDReadyChan()
 			logrus.Info("ETCD server is now running")
 		}
 		if !serverConfig.ControlConfig.DisableAPIServer {
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
index 69bdb97df7..a9e3447087 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/clientaccess"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/cluster/managed"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/config"
+	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/executor"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/etcd"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/kine/pkg/endpoint"
 	pkgerrors "github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -34,36 +35,36 @@ func (c *Cluster) ListenAndServe(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return c.initClusterAndHTTPS(ctx)
 }
 
-// Start handles writing/reading bootstrap data, and returns a channel
-// that will be closed when datastore is ready. If embedded etcd is in use,
+// Start handles writing/reading bootstrap data. If embedded etcd is in use,
 // a secondary call to Cluster.save is made.
-func (c *Cluster) Start(ctx context.Context) (<-chan struct{}, error) {
+func (c *Cluster) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if c.config.DisableETCD || c.managedDB == nil {
+		// if etcd is disabled or we're using kine, perform a no-op start of etcd
+		// to close the etcd ready channel. When etcd is in use, this is handled by
+		// c.start() -> c.managedDB.Start() -> etcd.Start() -> executor.ETCD()
+		executor.ETCD(ctx, nil, nil, func(context.Context) error { return nil })
+	}
+
 	if c.config.DisableETCD {
-		ready := make(chan struct{})
-		defer close(ready)
-		return ready, nil
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// start managed etcd database; when kine is in use this is a no-op.
 	if err := c.start(ctx); err != nil {
-		return nil, pkgerrors.WithMessage(err, "start managed database")
+		return pkgerrors.WithMessage(err, "start managed database")
 	}
 
-	// get the wait channel for testing etcd server readiness; when kine is in
-	// use the channel is closed immediately.
-	ready := c.testClusterDB(ctx)
-
 	// set c.config.Datastore and c.config.Runtime.EtcdConfig with values
 	// necessary to build etcd clients, and start kine listener if necessary.
 	if err := c.startStorage(ctx, false); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// if necessary, store bootstrap data to datastore. saveBootstrap is only set
 	// when using kine, so this can be done before the ready channel has been closed.
 	if c.saveBootstrap {
 		if err := Save(ctx, c.config, false); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) Start(ctx context.Context) (<-chan struct{}, error) {
 		go func() {
 			for {
 				select {
-				case <-ready:
+				case <-executor.ETCDReadyChan():
 					// always save to managed etcd, to ensure that any file modified locally are in sync with the datastore.
 					// this will panic if multiple keys exist, to prevent nodes from running with different bootstrap data.
 					if err := Save(ctx, c.config, false); err != nil {
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) Start(ctx context.Context) (<-chan struct{}, error) {
 		}()
 	}
 
-	return ready, nil
+	return nil
 }
 
 // startEtcdProxy starts an etcd load-balancer proxy, for control-plane-only nodes
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/managed.go b/pkg/cluster/managed.go
index 79a3d13906..b8b0e10331 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/managed.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/managed.go
@@ -23,36 +23,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 )
 
-// testClusterDB returns a channel that will be closed when the datastore connection is available.
-// The datastore is tested for readiness every 5 seconds until the test succeeds.
-func (c *Cluster) testClusterDB(ctx context.Context) <-chan struct{} {
-	result := make(chan struct{})
-	if c.managedDB == nil {
-		close(result)
-		return result
-	}
-
-	go func() {
-		defer close(result)
-		for {
-			if err := c.managedDB.Test(ctx); err != nil {
-				logrus.Infof("Failed to test data store connection: %v", err)
-			} else {
-				logrus.Info(c.managedDB.EndpointName() + " data store connection OK")
-				return
-			}
-
-			select {
-			case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				return
-			}
-		}
-	}()
-
-	return result
-}
-
 // start starts the database, unless a cluster reset has been requested, in which case
 // it does that instead.
 func (c *Cluster) start(ctx context.Context) error {
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/managed/drivers.go b/pkg/cluster/managed/drivers.go
index 421e7509f8..4a0515ba96 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/managed/drivers.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/managed/drivers.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ type Driver interface {
 	IsReset() (bool, error)
 	ResetFile() string
 	Start(ctx context.Context, clientAccessInfo *clientaccess.Info) error
-	Test(ctx context.Context) error
 	Restore(ctx context.Context) error
 	EndpointName() string
 	Snapshot(ctx context.Context) (*SnapshotResult, error)
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/config/types.go b/pkg/daemons/config/types.go
index 1085456081..d589220f6b 100644
--- a/pkg/daemons/config/types.go
+++ b/pkg/daemons/config/types.go
@@ -312,7 +312,6 @@ type ControlRuntimeBootstrap struct {
 type ControlRuntime struct {
 	ControlRuntimeBootstrap
 
-	ETCDReady                            <-chan struct{}
 	StartupHooksWg                       *sync.WaitGroup
 	ClusterControllerStarts              map[string]leader.Callback
 	LeaderElectedClusterControllerStarts map[string]leader.Callback
@@ -382,7 +381,7 @@ type ControlRuntime struct {
 type Cluster interface {
 	Bootstrap(ctx context.Context, reset bool) error
 	ListenAndServe(ctx context.Context) error
-	Start(ctx context.Context) (<-chan struct{}, error)
+	Start(ctx context.Context) error
 }
 
 type CoreFactory interface {
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/control/server.go b/pkg/daemons/control/server.go
index eddec8faba..97b71e8bde 100644
--- a/pkg/daemons/control/server.go
+++ b/pkg/daemons/control/server.go
@@ -70,10 +70,8 @@ func Prepare(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Control) error {
 // Server starts the apiserver and whatever other control-plane components are
 // not disabled on this node.
 func Server(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Control) error {
-	if ready, err := cfg.Cluster.Start(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err := cfg.Cluster.Start(ctx); err != nil {
 		return pkgerrors.WithMessage(err, "failed to start cluster")
-	} else {
-		cfg.Runtime.ETCDReady = ready
 	}
 
 	if !cfg.DisableAPIServer {
@@ -264,7 +262,7 @@ func apiServer(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Control) error {
 
 	logrus.Infof("Running kube-apiserver %s", config.ArgString(args))
 
-	return executor.APIServer(ctx, runtime.ETCDReady, args)
+	return executor.APIServer(ctx, args)
 }
 
 func defaults(config *config.Control) {
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/executor/embed.go b/pkg/daemons/executor/embed.go
index 75ddd536f3..682d80f379 100644
--- a/pkg/daemons/executor/embed.go
+++ b/pkg/daemons/executor/embed.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ func init() {
 
 func (e *Embedded) Bootstrap(ctx context.Context, nodeConfig *daemonconfig.Node, cfg cmds.Agent) error {
 	e.apiServerReady = util.APIServerReadyChan(ctx, nodeConfig.AgentConfig.KubeConfigK3sController, util.DefaultAPIServerReadyTimeout)
+	e.etcdReady = make(chan struct{})
 	e.criReady = make(chan struct{})
 	e.nodeConfig = nodeConfig
 
@@ -119,12 +120,12 @@ func (*Embedded) APIServerHandlers(ctx context.Context) (authenticator.Request,
 	return startupConfig.Authenticator, startupConfig.Handler, nil
 }
 
-func (*Embedded) APIServer(ctx context.Context, etcdReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error {
+func (e *Embedded) APIServer(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
 	command := apiapp.NewAPIServerCommand(ctx.Done())
 	command.SetArgs(args)
 
 	go func() {
-		<-etcdReady
+		<-e.ETCDReadyChan()
 		defer func() {
 			if err := recover(); err != nil {
 				logrus.WithField("stack", string(debug.Stack())).Fatalf("apiserver panic: %v", err)
@@ -262,6 +263,13 @@ func (e *Embedded) APIServerReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
 	return e.apiServerReady
 }
 
+func (e *Embedded) ETCDReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
+	if e.etcdReady == nil {
+		panic("executor not bootstrapped")
+	}
+	return e.etcdReady
+}
+
 func (e *Embedded) CRIReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
 	if e.criReady == nil {
 		panic("executor not bootstrapped")
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/executor/etcd.go b/pkg/daemons/executor/etcd.go
index c0ba0c32bb..5ec3c7d4b9 100644
--- a/pkg/daemons/executor/etcd.go
+++ b/pkg/daemons/executor/etcd.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
 
 	daemonconfig "github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/config"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/version"
@@ -17,11 +18,40 @@ import (
 // of the embedded execututor is disabled by build flags
 type Embedded struct {
 	apiServerReady <-chan struct{}
+	etcdReady      chan struct{}
 	criReady       chan struct{}
 	nodeConfig     *daemonconfig.Node
 }
 
-func (e *Embedded) ETCD(ctx context.Context, args ETCDConfig, extraArgs []string) error {
+func (e *Embedded) ETCD(ctx context.Context, args *ETCDConfig, extraArgs []string, test TestFunc) error {
+	// An unbootstrapped executor is used to start up a temporary embedded etcd when reconciling.
+	// This temporary executor doesn't have any ready channels set up, so don't bother testing.
+	if e.etcdReady != nil {
+		go func() {
+			defer close(e.etcdReady)
+			for {
+				if err := test(ctx); err != nil {
+					logrus.Infof("Failed to test etcd connection: %v", err)
+				} else {
+					logrus.Info("Connection to etcd is ready")
+					return
+				}
+
+				select {
+				case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+				case <-ctx.Done():
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+
+	// nil args indicates a no-op start; all we need to do is wait for the test
+	// func to indicate readiness and close the channel.
+	if args == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	configFile, err := args.ToConfigFile(extraArgs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/executor/executor.go b/pkg/daemons/executor/executor.go
index 95735ff1db..2c6df8dd53 100644
--- a/pkg/daemons/executor/executor.go
+++ b/pkg/daemons/executor/executor.go
@@ -20,21 +20,25 @@ var (
 	executor Executor
 )
 
+// TestFunc is the signature of a function that returns nil error when the component is ready
+type TestFunc func(context.Context) error
+
 type Executor interface {
 	Bootstrap(ctx context.Context, nodeConfig *daemonconfig.Node, cfg cmds.Agent) error
 	Kubelet(ctx context.Context, args []string) error
 	KubeProxy(ctx context.Context, args []string) error
 	APIServerHandlers(ctx context.Context) (authenticator.Request, http.Handler, error)
-	APIServer(ctx context.Context, etcdReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error
+	APIServer(ctx context.Context, args []string) error
 	Scheduler(ctx context.Context, nodeReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error
 	ControllerManager(ctx context.Context, args []string) error
 	CurrentETCDOptions() (InitialOptions, error)
-	ETCD(ctx context.Context, args ETCDConfig, extraArgs []string) error
+	ETCD(ctx context.Context, args *ETCDConfig, extraArgs []string, test TestFunc) error
 	CloudControllerManager(ctx context.Context, ccmRBACReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error
 	Containerd(ctx context.Context, node *daemonconfig.Node) error
 	Docker(ctx context.Context, node *daemonconfig.Node) error
 	CRI(ctx context.Context, node *daemonconfig.Node) error
 	APIServerReadyChan() <-chan struct{}
+	ETCDReadyChan() <-chan struct{}
 	CRIReadyChan() <-chan struct{}
 }
 
@@ -153,8 +157,8 @@ func APIServerHandlers(ctx context.Context) (authenticator.Request, http.Handler
 	return executor.APIServerHandlers(ctx)
 }
 
-func APIServer(ctx context.Context, etcdReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error {
-	return executor.APIServer(ctx, etcdReady, args)
+func APIServer(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
+	return executor.APIServer(ctx, args)
 }
 
 func Scheduler(ctx context.Context, nodeReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error {
@@ -169,8 +173,8 @@ func CurrentETCDOptions() (InitialOptions, error) {
 	return executor.CurrentETCDOptions()
 }
 
-func ETCD(ctx context.Context, args ETCDConfig, extraArgs []string) error {
-	return executor.ETCD(ctx, args, extraArgs)
+func ETCD(ctx context.Context, args *ETCDConfig, extraArgs []string, test TestFunc) error {
+	return executor.ETCD(ctx, args, extraArgs, test)
 }
 
 func CloudControllerManager(ctx context.Context, ccmRBACReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error {
@@ -193,6 +197,10 @@ func APIServerReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
 	return executor.APIServerReadyChan()
 }
 
+func ETCDReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
+	return executor.ETCDReadyChan()
+}
+
 func CRIReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
 	return executor.CRIReadyChan()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/etcd/etcd.go b/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
index 58ff7c485c..606ac126e8 100644
--- a/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
+++ b/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ func (e *ETCD) listenClientHTTPURLs() string {
 // cluster calls the executor to start etcd running with the provided configuration.
 func (e *ETCD) cluster(ctx context.Context, reset bool, options executor.InitialOptions) error {
 	ctx, e.cancel = context.WithCancel(ctx)
-	return executor.ETCD(ctx, executor.ETCDConfig{
+	return executor.ETCD(ctx, &executor.ETCDConfig{
 		Name:                e.name,
 		InitialOptions:      options,
 		ForceNewCluster:     reset,
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ func (e *ETCD) cluster(ctx context.Context, reset bool, options executor.Initial
 
 		ExperimentalInitialCorruptCheck:         true,
 		ExperimentalWatchProgressNotifyInterval: e.config.Datastore.NotifyInterval,
-	}, e.config.ExtraEtcdArgs)
+	}, e.config.ExtraEtcdArgs, e.Test)
 }
 
 func (e *ETCD) StartEmbeddedTemporary(ctx context.Context) error {
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@ func (e *ETCD) StartEmbeddedTemporary(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	embedded := executor.Embedded{}
 	ctx, e.cancel = context.WithCancel(ctx)
-	return embedded.ETCD(ctx, executor.ETCDConfig{
+	return embedded.ETCD(ctx, &executor.ETCDConfig{
 		InitialOptions:       executor.InitialOptions{AdvertisePeerURL: peerURL},
 		DataDir:              tmpDataDir,
 		ForceNewCluster:      true,
@@ -1106,7 +1106,7 @@ func (e *ETCD) StartEmbeddedTemporary(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		ExperimentalInitialCorruptCheck:         true,
 		ExperimentalWatchProgressNotifyInterval: e.config.Datastore.NotifyInterval,
-	}, append(e.config.ExtraEtcdArgs, "--max-snapshots=0", "--max-wals=0"))
+	}, append(e.config.ExtraEtcdArgs, "--max-snapshots=0", "--max-wals=0"), e.Test)
 }
 
 func addPort(address string, offset int) (string, error) {
diff --git a/tests/mock/executor.go b/tests/mock/executor.go
index 7f8c7587e2..92f612d5c4 100644
--- a/tests/mock/executor.go
+++ b/tests/mock/executor.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func (e *Executor) APIServerHandlers(ctx context.Context) (authenticator.Request
 	return nil, nil, errors.New("not implemented")
 }
 
-func (e *Executor) APIServer(ctx context.Context, etcdReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error {
+func (e *Executor) APIServer(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
 	return errors.New("not implemented")
 }
 
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ func (e *Executor) CurrentETCDOptions() (executor.InitialOptions, error) {
 	return executor.InitialOptions{}, nil
 }
 
-func (e *Executor) ETCD(ctx context.Context, args executor.ETCDConfig, extraArgs []string) error {
+func (e *Executor) ETCD(ctx context.Context, args *executor.ETCDConfig, extraArgs []string, test executor.TestFunc) error {
 	embed := &executor.Embedded{}
-	return embed.ETCD(ctx, args, extraArgs)
+	return embed.ETCD(ctx, args, extraArgs, test)
 }
 
 func (e *Executor) CloudControllerManager(ctx context.Context, ccmRBACReady <-chan struct{}, args []string) error {
@@ -73,6 +73,12 @@ func (e *Executor) APIServerReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
 	return c
 }
 
+func (e *Executor) ETCDReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
+	c := make(chan struct{})
+	close(c)
+	return c
+}
+
 func (e *Executor) CRIReadyChan() <-chan struct{} {
 	c := make(chan struct{})
 	close(c)
diff --git a/tests/unit.go b/tests/unit.go
index 7f94c42be9..da00b2b06b 100644
--- a/tests/unit.go
+++ b/tests/unit.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/config"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/control/deps"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/executor"
+	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/tests/mock"
 )
 
 // GenerateDataDir creates a temporary directory at "/tmp/k3s/<RANDOM_STRING>/".