diff --git a/riocli/apply/manifests/device.yaml b/riocli/apply/manifests/device.yaml
index 5a824266..7e57b8b0 100644
--- a/riocli/apply/manifests/device.yaml
+++ b/riocli/apply/manifests/device.yaml
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ spec:
     os: "ubuntu" # Options: ["ubuntu" (default), "debian" ]
     codename: "focal" # Options: ["bionic", "focal" (default), "jammy", "bullseye"]
     highperf: False # Optional [True, False (default)]
+    wait: True # Optional [True, False (default)] Wait until the device is ready.
   docker:
     enabled: True # Required
     rosbagMountPath: "/opt/rapyuta/volumes/rosbag"
diff --git a/riocli/device/model.py b/riocli/device/model.py
index 7c1a0ece..be800660 100644
--- a/riocli/device/model.py
+++ b/riocli/device/model.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from riocli.constants import ApplyResult
 from riocli.device.util import (DeviceNotFound, create_hwil_device, delete_hwil_device, execute_onboard_command,
                                 find_device_by_name, make_device_labels_from_hwil_device)
+from riocli.device.util import wait_until_online
 from riocli.exceptions import ResourceNotFound
 from riocli.model import Model
 
@@ -79,6 +80,9 @@ def apply(self, *args, **kwargs) -> ApplyResult:
         onboard_command = onboard_script.full_command()
         execute_onboard_command(hwil_response.id, onboard_command)
 
+        if self.spec.get('virtual', {}).get('wait', False):
+            wait_until_online(device)
+
         return result
 
     def delete(self, *args, **kwargs) -> None:
diff --git a/riocli/device/util.py b/riocli/device/util.py
index 3e7a5723..773194b4 100644
--- a/riocli/device/util.py
+++ b/riocli/device/util.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import functools
 import json
 import re
+import time
 import typing
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@
 from rapyuta_io import Client
 from rapyuta_io.clients import LogUploads
 from rapyuta_io.clients.device import Device
+from rapyuta_io.clients.device import DeviceStatus
 from rapyuta_io.utils import RestClient
 from rapyuta_io.utils.rest_client import HttpMethod
 
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ def find_device_guid(client: Client, name: str) -> str:
 
     raise DeviceNotFound()
 
+
 def find_device_by_name(client: Client, name: str) -> Device:
     devices = client.get_all_devices(device_name=name)
     if devices:
@@ -290,3 +293,23 @@ def sanitize_hwil_device_name(name):
             r = r + c
 
     return r
+
+
+def wait_until_online(device: Device, timeout: int = 600) -> None:
+    """Wait until the device is online.
+
+    This is a helper method that waits until the device is online.
+    Or, until the timeout is reached. The default timeout is 600 seconds.
+    """
+    counter, interval = 0, 20
+    failed_states = (DeviceStatus.FAILED, DeviceStatus.REJECTED)
+
+    device.refresh()
+
+    while not device.is_online() and device.status not in failed_states and counter < timeout:
+        counter += interval
+        time.sleep(interval)
+        device.refresh()
+
+    if not device.is_online() and counter >= timeout:
+        raise Exception('timeout reached while waiting for the device to be online')
diff --git a/riocli/jsonschema/schemas/device-schema.yaml b/riocli/jsonschema/schemas/device-schema.yaml
index 5dd27dda..dee79ade 100644
--- a/riocli/jsonschema/schemas/device-schema.yaml
+++ b/riocli/jsonschema/schemas/device-schema.yaml
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ definitions:
               enabled:
                 enum:
                   - True
+              wait:
+                type: boolean
+                default: False
               product:
                 type: string
                 enum: