diff --git a/executor/linux/build_test.go b/executor/linux/build_test.go
index ce5934d4..c1297a4a 100644
--- a/executor/linux/build_test.go
+++ b/executor/linux/build_test.go
@@ -1305,8 +1305,7 @@ func TestLinux_AssembleBuild(t *testing.T) {
 
 			switch test.runtime {
 			case constants.DriverKubernetes:
-				_pod := testPodFor(_pipeline)
-				_runtime, err = kubernetes.NewMock(_pod)
+				_runtime, err = kubernetes.NewMock(&v1.Pod{}) // do not use _pod here! AssembleBuild will load it.
 				if err != nil {
 					t.Errorf("unable to create kubernetes runtime engine: %v", err)
 				}
@@ -1337,6 +1336,30 @@ func TestLinux_AssembleBuild(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Errorf("unable to create build: %v", err)
 			}
 
+			// Kubernetes runtime needs to set up the Mock after CreateBuild is called
+			if test.runtime == constants.DriverKubernetes {
+				go func() {
+					_mockRuntime := _runtime.(kubernetes.MockKubernetesRuntime)
+					// This handles waiting until runtime.AssembleBuild has prepared the PodTracker.
+					_mockRuntime.WaitForPodTrackerReady()
+					// Normally, runtime.StreamBuild (which runs in a goroutine) calls PodTracker.Start.
+					_mockRuntime.StartPodTracker(context.Background())
+
+					_pod := testPodFor(_pipeline)
+
+					// Now wait until the pod is created at the end of runtime.AssembleBuild.
+					_mockRuntime.WaitForPodCreate(_pod.GetNamespace(), _pod.GetName())
+
+					// Mark services running and secrets as completed, but no steps have started.
+					err := _mockRuntime.SimulateStatusUpdate(_pod,
+						testContainerStatuses(_pipeline, true, 0, 0),
+					)
+					if err != nil {
+						t.Errorf("%s - failed to simulate pod update: %s", test.name, err)
+					}
+				}()
+			}
+
 			err = _engine.AssembleBuild(context.Background())
 
 			if test.failure {
diff --git a/runtime/kubernetes/kubernetes.go b/runtime/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
index d9cbdfcd..35dd9846 100644
--- a/runtime/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
+++ b/runtime/kubernetes/kubernetes.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 package kubernetes
 
 import (
-	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/rest"
@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	velav1alpha1 "github.com/go-vela/worker/runtime/kubernetes/apis/vela/v1alpha1"
 	velaK8sClient "github.com/go-vela/worker/runtime/kubernetes/generated/clientset/versioned"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
 type config struct {
diff --git a/runtime/kubernetes/mock.go b/runtime/kubernetes/mock.go
index 6c2ec36f..99666bcc 100644
--- a/runtime/kubernetes/mock.go
+++ b/runtime/kubernetes/mock.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/fake"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
 
 	velav1alpha1 "github.com/go-vela/worker/runtime/kubernetes/apis/vela/v1alpha1"
 	fakeVelaK8sClient "github.com/go-vela/worker/runtime/kubernetes/generated/clientset/versioned/fake"
@@ -99,6 +100,8 @@ type MockKubernetesRuntime interface {
 	SetupMock() error
 	MarkPodTrackerReady()
 	StartPodTracker(context.Context)
+	WaitForPodTrackerReady()
+	WaitForPodCreate(string, string)
 	SimulateResync(*v1.Pod)
 	SimulateStatusUpdate(*v1.Pod, []v1.ContainerStatus) error
 }
@@ -126,6 +129,47 @@ func (c *client) StartPodTracker(ctx context.Context) {
 	c.PodTracker.Start(ctx)
 }
 
+// WaitForPodTrackerReady waits for PodTracker.Ready to be closed (which happens in AssembleBuild).
+//
+// This function is intended for running tests only.
+func (c *client) WaitForPodTrackerReady() {
+	<-c.PodTracker.Ready
+}
+
+// WaitForPodCreate waits for PodTracker.Ready to be closed (which happens in AssembleBuild).
+//
+// This function is intended for running tests only.
+func (c *client) WaitForPodCreate(namespace, name string) {
+	created := make(chan struct{})
+
+	c.PodTracker.podInformer.Informer().AddEventHandler(cache.ResourceEventHandlerFuncs{
+		AddFunc: func(obj interface{}) {
+			select {
+			case <-created:
+				// not interested in any other create events.
+				return
+			default:
+				break
+			}
+
+			var (
+				pod *v1.Pod
+				ok  bool
+			)
+
+			if pod, ok = obj.(*v1.Pod); !ok {
+				return
+			}
+
+			if pod.GetNamespace() == namespace && pod.GetName() == name {
+				close(created)
+			}
+		},
+	})
+
+	<-created
+}
+
 // SimulateResync simulates an resync where the PodTracker refreshes its cache.
 // This resync is from oldPod to runtime.Pod. If nil, oldPod defaults to runtime.Pod.
 //