diff --git a/runironic-api.sh b/runironic-api.sh
index 5dfcdd4dd..6857aec20 100755
--- a/runironic-api.sh
+++ b/runironic-api.sh
@@ -4,4 +4,14 @@ export IRONIC_DEPLOYMENT="API"
 
 . /bin/configure-ironic.sh
 
+# Wait for ironic to load all expected drivers
+# the DB query returns the number of unique hardware_type in the conductor_hardware_interfaces table
+CONF_DRIVERS=$(crudini --get /etc/ironic/ironic.conf DEFAULT enabled_hardware_types | tr ',' '\n' | wc -l)
+while true ; do
+  DB_DRIVERS=$(mysql -p$MARIADB_PASSWORD -u ironic -h 127.0.0.1 ironic -e 'select count( DISTINCT hardware_type) from conductor_hardware_interfaces' -B -s --ssl || echo 0)
+  [ "$DB_DRIVERS" -ge "$CONF_DRIVERS" ] && break
+  echo "Waiting for $CONF_DRIVERS expected drivers"
+  sleep 5
+done
+
 exec /usr/bin/ironic-api --config-file /usr/share/ironic/ironic-dist.conf ${IRONIC_CONFIG_OPTIONS}