diff --git a/internal/pkg/etcd/etcd.go b/internal/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
index ed69ba9a0..ca4d2e191 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cosi-project/runtime/pkg/state"
+	"github.com/siderolabs/go-retry/retry"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/api/v3/etcdserverpb"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/api/v3/v3rpc/rpctypes"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/client/pkg/v3/transport"
@@ -155,7 +156,19 @@ func (c *Client) LeaveCluster(ctx context.Context, st state.State) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := c.RemoveMemberByMemberID(ctx, memberID); err != nil {
+	if err := retry.Constant(5*time.Minute, retry.WithUnits(10*time.Second)).RetryWithContext(ctx, func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		err := c.RemoveMemberByMemberID(ctx, memberID)
+		if err == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		if errors.Is(err, rpctypes.ErrUnhealthy) {
+			// unhealthy is returned when the member hasn't established connections with quorum other members
+			return retry.ExpectedError(err)
+		}
+
+		return err
+	}); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/etcd/local.go b/internal/pkg/etcd/local.go
index a88d8a8d3..ee6162954 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/etcd/local.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/etcd/local.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package etcd
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cosi-project/runtime/pkg/safe"
 	"github.com/cosi-project/runtime/pkg/state"
@@ -16,10 +17,14 @@ import (
 
 // GetLocalMemberID gets the etcd member id of the local node via resources.
 func GetLocalMemberID(ctx context.Context, s state.State) (uint64, error) {
-	member, err := safe.ReaderGet[*etcd.Member](
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 3*time.Minute)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	member, err := safe.StateWatchFor[*etcd.Member](
 		ctx,
 		s,
 		etcd.NewMember(etcd.NamespaceName, etcd.LocalMemberID).Metadata(),
+		state.WithEventTypes(state.Created),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("failed to get local etcd member ID: %w", err)