diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 8b549944..00ba2bcc 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ func main() {
 		// exit, this is just a job
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
+	if osArgs.InitialSyncPeriod == 0 {
+		osArgs.InitialSyncPeriod = osArgs.SyncPeriod
+	}
 
 	logger.ShowFilename(false)
 	exit := logInfo(logger, osArgs)
@@ -232,6 +235,7 @@ func logInfo(logger utils.Logger, osArgs utils.OSArgs) bool {
 		logger.Printf("Disabling the delayed writing of files to disk only in case of haproxy reload (write to disk even if no reload)")
 	}
 	logger.Debugf("Kubernetes Informers resync period: %s", osArgs.CacheResyncPeriod.String())
+	logger.Printf("Controller initial sync period: %s", osArgs.InitialSyncPeriod.String())
 	logger.Printf("Controller sync period: %s\n", osArgs.SyncPeriod.String())
 
 	hostname, err := os.Hostname()
diff --git a/pkg/k8s/main.go b/pkg/k8s/main.go
index ea03f93f..daa14b15 100644
--- a/pkg/k8s/main.go
+++ b/pkg/k8s/main.go
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ type k8s struct {
 	podNamespace           string
 	whiteListedNS          []string
 	syncPeriod             time.Duration
+	initialSyncPeriod      time.Duration
 	cacheResyncPeriod      time.Duration
 	disableSvcExternalName bool // CVE-2021-25740
 	gatewayAPIInstalled    bool
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ func New(osArgs utils.OSArgs, whitelist map[string]struct{}, publishSvc *utils.N
 		podNamespace:           os.Getenv("POD_NAMESPACE"),
 		podPrefix:              prefix,
 		syncPeriod:             osArgs.SyncPeriod,
+		initialSyncPeriod:      osArgs.InitialSyncPeriod,
 		cacheResyncPeriod:      osArgs.CacheResyncPeriod,
 		disableSvcExternalName: osArgs.DisableServiceExternalName,
 		gatewayClient:          gatewayClient,
@@ -170,7 +172,11 @@ func (k k8s) MonitorChanges(eventChan chan k8ssync.SyncDataEvent, stop chan stru
 	}
 
 	syncPeriod := k.syncPeriod
-	logger.Debugf("Executing syncPeriod every %s", syncPeriod.String())
+	initialSyncPeriod := k.initialSyncPeriod
+	logger.Debugf("Executing first transaction after %s", initialSyncPeriod.String())
+	logger.Debugf("Executing new transaction every %s", syncPeriod.String())
+	time.Sleep(k.initialSyncPeriod)
+	eventChan <- k8ssync.SyncDataEvent{SyncType: k8ssync.COMMAND}
 	for {
 		time.Sleep(syncPeriod)
 		eventChan <- k8ssync.SyncDataEvent{SyncType: k8ssync.COMMAND}
diff --git a/pkg/utils/flags.go b/pkg/utils/flags.go
index bb1e65b8..75130adb 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/flags.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/flags.go
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ type OSArgs struct {
 	HTTPBindPort                      int64          `long:"http-bind-port" default:"8080" description:"port to listen on for HTTP traffic"`
 	HTTPSBindPort                     int64          `long:"https-bind-port" default:"8443" description:"port to listen on for HTTPS traffic"`
 	SyncPeriod                        time.Duration  `long:"sync-period" default:"5s" description:"Sets the period at which the controller syncs HAProxy configuration file"`
+	InitialSyncPeriod                 time.Duration  `long:"initial-sync-period" description:"Sets the first period at which the controller syncs HAProxy configuration file"`
 	CacheResyncPeriod                 time.Duration  `long:"cache-resync-period" default:"10m" description:"Sets the underlying Shared Informer resync period: resyncing controller with informers cache"`
 	HealthzBindPort                   int64          `long:"healthz-bind-port" default:"1042" description:"port to listen on for probes"`
 	QuicAnnouncePort                  int64          `long:"quic-announce-port" description:"sets the port in the alt-svc header"`