diff --git a/pkg/network/status/status.go b/pkg/network/status/status.go
index cda7dbd80ece..4d1e527ea956 100644
--- a/pkg/network/status/status.go
+++ b/pkg/network/status/status.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
+	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
@@ -47,6 +48,9 @@ const (
 	// probeTimeout defines the maximum amount of time a request will wait
 	probeTimeout = 1 * time.Second
 	probePath    = "/healthz"
+	// initialDelay defines the delay before enqueuing a probing request the first time.
+	// It gives times for the change to propagate and prevents unnecessary retries.
+	initialDelay = 200 * time.Millisecond
 )
 
 var dialContext = (&net.Dialer{Timeout: probeTimeout}).DialContext
@@ -134,7 +138,12 @@ func NewProber(
 		ingressStates: make(map[string]*ingressState),
 		podContexts:   make(map[string]cancelContext),
 		workQueue: workqueue.NewNamedRateLimitingQueue(
-			workqueue.DefaultControllerRateLimiter(),
+			workqueue.NewMaxOfRateLimiter(
+				// Per item exponential backoff
+				workqueue.NewItemExponentialFailureRateLimiter(50*time.Millisecond, 30*time.Second),
+				// Global rate limiter
+				&workqueue.BucketRateLimiter{Limiter: rate.NewLimiter(rate.Limit(50), 100)},
+			),
 			"ProbingQueue"),
 		targetLister:     targetLister,
 		readyCallback:    readyCallback,
@@ -252,7 +261,7 @@ func (m *Prober) IsReady(ctx context.Context, ing *v1alpha1.Ingress) (bool, erro
 		for _, wi := range ipWorkItems {
 			wi.podState = podState
 			wi.context = podCtx
-			m.workQueue.AddRateLimited(wi)
+			m.workQueue.AddAfter(wi, initialDelay)
 			m.logger.Infof("Queuing probe for %s, IP: %s:%s (depth: %d)",
 				wi.url, wi.podIP, wi.podPort, m.workQueue.Len())
 		}