diff --git a/cmd/helm/init.go b/cmd/helm/init.go
index c8753874f..399802d97 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init.go
@@ -23,16 +23,17 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	apierrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
-	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
-
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/yaml"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/helm/cmd/helm/installer"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/getter"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/helm"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/helm/helmpath"
+	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/helm/portforwarder"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/repo"
 )
 
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ type initCmd struct {
 	serviceAccount string
 	maxHistory     int
 	wait           bool
+	timeout        int
 }
 
 func newInitCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
@@ -102,10 +104,11 @@ func newInitCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 			}
 			i.namespace = settings.TillerNamespace
 			i.home = settings.Home
-			i.client = ensureHelmClient(i.client)
-
 			return i.run()
 		},
+		PostRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			return i.ensureTillerRunning()
+		},
 	}
 
 	f := cmd.Flags()
@@ -117,6 +120,7 @@ func newInitCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	f.BoolVar(&i.dryRun, "dry-run", false, "do not install local or remote")
 	f.BoolVar(&i.skipRefresh, "skip-refresh", false, "do not refresh (download) the local repository cache")
 	f.BoolVar(&i.wait, "wait", false, "block until Tiller is running and ready to receive requests")
+	f.IntVar(&i.timeout, "timeout", 10, "number of seconds to wait for tiller before timing out")
 
 	f.BoolVar(&tlsEnable, "tiller-tls", false, "install Tiller with TLS enabled")
 	f.BoolVar(&tlsVerify, "tiller-tls-verify", false, "install Tiller with TLS enabled and to verify remote certificates")
@@ -298,18 +302,12 @@ func (i *initCmd) run() error {
 				if err := installer.Upgrade(i.kubeClient, &i.opts); err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("error when upgrading: %s", err)
 				}
-				if err := i.ping(); err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
 				fmt.Fprintln(i.out, "\nTiller (the Helm server-side component) has been upgraded to the current version.")
 			} else {
 				fmt.Fprintln(i.out, "Warning: Tiller is already installed in the cluster.\n"+
 					"(Use --client-only to suppress this message, or --upgrade to upgrade Tiller to the current version.)")
 			}
 		} else {
-			if err := i.ping(); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
 			fmt.Fprintln(i.out, "\nTiller (the Helm server-side component) has been installed into your Kubernetes Cluster.")
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -320,11 +318,27 @@ func (i *initCmd) run() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (i *initCmd) ping() error {
-	if i.wait {
-		if err := i.client.PingTiller(); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("could not ping Tiller: %s", err)
+func (i *initCmd) ensureTillerRunning() error {
+	if !i.wait {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	var retryCount int
+
+retry:
+	config, client, err := getKubeClient(settings.KubeContext)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	_, err = portforwarder.New(settings.TillerNamespace, client, config)
+	if err != nil {
+		if err == portforwarder.ErrTillerNotFound && retryCount <= i.timeout {
+			retryCount++
+			time.Sleep(time.Second)
+			goto retry
 		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/docs/helm/helm_init.md b/docs/helm/helm_init.md
index 856e9b565..22f69b544 100644
--- a/docs/helm/helm_init.md
+++ b/docs/helm/helm_init.md
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ helm init
       --tiller-tls-cert string   path to TLS certificate file to install with Tiller
       --tiller-tls-key string    path to TLS key file to install with Tiller
       --tiller-tls-verify        install Tiller with TLS enabled and to verify remote certificates
+      --timeout int              number of seconds to wait for tiller before timing out (default 10)
       --tls-ca-cert string       path to CA root certificate
       --upgrade                  upgrade if Tiller is already installed
       --wait                     block until Tiller is running and ready to receive requests
@@ -69,4 +70,4 @@ helm init
 ### SEE ALSO
 * [helm](helm.md)	 - The Helm package manager for Kubernetes.
 
-###### Auto generated by spf13/cobra on 25-Jan-2018
+###### Auto generated by spf13/cobra on 9-Feb-2018
diff --git a/pkg/helm/client.go b/pkg/helm/client.go
index c7ef4d89e..0f3c251a3 100644
--- a/pkg/helm/client.go
+++ b/pkg/helm/client.go
@@ -297,12 +297,6 @@ func (h *Client) RunReleaseTest(rlsName string, opts ...ReleaseTestOption) (<-ch
 	return h.test(ctx, req)
 }
 
-// PingTiller pings the Tiller pod and ensure's that it is up and running
-func (h *Client) PingTiller() error {
-	ctx := NewContext()
-	return h.ping(ctx)
-}
-
 // connect returns a gRPC connection to Tiller or error. The gRPC dial options
 // are constructed here.
 func (h *Client) connect(ctx context.Context) (conn *grpc.ClientConn, err error) {
@@ -479,15 +473,3 @@ func (h *Client) test(ctx context.Context, req *rls.TestReleaseRequest) (<-chan
 
 	return ch, errc
 }
-
-// Executes tiller.Ping RPC.
-func (h *Client) ping(ctx context.Context) error {
-	c, err := h.connect(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer c.Close()
-
-	rlc := rls.NewReleaseServiceClient(c)
-	return rlc.PingTiller(ctx)
-}
diff --git a/pkg/helm/fake.go b/pkg/helm/fake.go
index dbb488610..8d809f658 100644
--- a/pkg/helm/fake.go
+++ b/pkg/helm/fake.go
@@ -184,11 +184,6 @@ func (c *FakeClient) RunReleaseTest(rlsName string, opts ...ReleaseTestOption) (
 	return results, errc
 }
 
-// PingTiller pings the Tiller pod and ensure's that it is up and running
-func (c *FakeClient) PingTiller() error {
-	return nil
-}
-
 // MockHookTemplate is the hook template used for all mock release objects.
 var MockHookTemplate = `apiVersion: v1
 kind: Job
diff --git a/pkg/helm/interface.go b/pkg/helm/interface.go
index 10c04c710..bff110b34 100644
--- a/pkg/helm/interface.go
+++ b/pkg/helm/interface.go
@@ -35,5 +35,4 @@ type Interface interface {
 	ReleaseHistory(rlsName string, opts ...HistoryOption) (*rls.GetHistoryResponse, error)
 	GetVersion(opts ...VersionOption) (*rls.GetVersionResponse, error)
 	RunReleaseTest(rlsName string, opts ...ReleaseTestOption) (<-chan *rls.TestReleaseResponse, <-chan error)
-	PingTiller() error
 }
diff --git a/pkg/helm/portforwarder/portforwarder.go b/pkg/helm/portforwarder/portforwarder.go
index 07e692e9a..ef9896db7 100644
--- a/pkg/helm/portforwarder/portforwarder.go
+++ b/pkg/helm/portforwarder/portforwarder.go
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	tillerPodLabels labels.Set = labels.Set{"app": "helm", "name": "tiller"}
+	// ErrTillerNotFound thrown when a running tiller instance is not found
+	ErrTillerNotFound = fmt.Errorf("could not find a ready tiller pod")
 )
 
 // New creates a new and initialized tunnel.
@@ -67,5 +69,5 @@ func getFirstRunningPod(client corev1.PodsGetter, namespace string, selector lab
 			return &p, nil
 		}
 	}
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find a ready tiller pod")
+	return nil, ErrTillerNotFound
 }
diff --git a/pkg/proto/hapi/services/tiller.pb.go b/pkg/proto/hapi/services/tiller.pb.go
index 2112ea67f..023749c4f 100644
--- a/pkg/proto/hapi/services/tiller.pb.go
+++ b/pkg/proto/hapi/services/tiller.pb.go
@@ -949,8 +949,6 @@ type ReleaseServiceClient interface {
 	GetHistory(ctx context.Context, in *GetHistoryRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (*GetHistoryResponse, error)
 	// RunReleaseTest executes the tests defined of a named release
 	RunReleaseTest(ctx context.Context, in *TestReleaseRequest, opts ...grpc.CallOption) (ReleaseService_RunReleaseTestClient, error)
-	// PingTiller sends a test/ping signal to Tiller to ensure that it's up
-	PingTiller(ctx context.Context) error
 }
 
 type releaseServiceClient struct {
@@ -1080,14 +1078,6 @@ func (c *releaseServiceClient) RunReleaseTest(ctx context.Context, in *TestRelea
 	return x, nil
 }
 
-func (c *releaseServiceClient) PingTiller(ctx context.Context) error {
-	err := grpc.Invoke(ctx, "/hapi.services.tiller.ReleaseService/PingTiller", "Ping", nil, c.cc, grpc.FailFast(false))
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 type ReleaseService_RunReleaseTestClient interface {
 	Recv() (*TestReleaseResponse, error)
 	grpc.ClientStream
@@ -1310,10 +1300,6 @@ func _ReleaseService_RunReleaseTest_Handler(srv interface{}, stream grpc.ServerS
 	return srv.(ReleaseServiceServer).RunReleaseTest(m, &releaseServiceRunReleaseTestServer{stream})
 }
 
-func _ReleaseService_Ping_Handler(srv interface{}, ctx context.Context, dec func(interface{}) error, interceptor grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor) (interface{}, error) {
-	return "Pong", nil
-}
-
 type ReleaseService_RunReleaseTestServer interface {
 	Send(*TestReleaseResponse) error
 	grpc.ServerStream
@@ -1363,10 +1349,6 @@ var _ReleaseService_serviceDesc = grpc.ServiceDesc{
 			MethodName: "GetHistory",
 			Handler:    _ReleaseService_GetHistory_Handler,
 		},
-		{
-			MethodName: "PingTiller",
-			Handler:    _ReleaseService_Ping_Handler,
-		},
 	},
 	Streams: []grpc.StreamDesc{
 		{
diff --git a/pkg/version/version.go b/pkg/version/version.go
index 6f5a1a452..98836a36e 100644
--- a/pkg/version/version.go
+++ b/pkg/version/version.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ var (
 	// Increment major number for new feature additions and behavioral changes.
 	// Increment minor number for bug fixes and performance enhancements.
 	// Increment patch number for critical fixes to existing releases.
-	Version = "v2.8"
+	Version = "v2.8.1"
 
 	// BuildMetadata is extra build time data
 	BuildMetadata = "unreleased"