diff --git a/pathwaysutils/experimental/shared_pathways_service/gke_utils.py b/pathwaysutils/experimental/shared_pathways_service/gke_utils.py
index 3b30dc1..4f44fef 100644
--- a/pathwaysutils/experimental/shared_pathways_service/gke_utils.py
+++ b/pathwaysutils/experimental/shared_pathways_service/gke_utils.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import logging
 import socket
 import subprocess
+import time
 import urllib.parse
 
 import portpicker
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@ def wait_for_pod(job_name: str) -> str:
     RuntimeError: If the pod is not ready.
   """
   _logger.info("Waiting for pod to be created...")
+  time.sleep(1)
   pod_name = get_pod_from_job(job_name)
 
   _logger.info(
@@ -296,6 +298,33 @@ def enable_port_forwarding(
   return (port_available, port_forward_process)
 
 
+def stream_pod_logs(pod_name: str) -> subprocess.Popen[str]:
+  """Streams logs from the given pod.
+
+  Args:
+    pod_name: The name of the pod.
+
+  Returns:
+    The process for streaming the logs.
+
+  Raises:
+    Exception: If the log streaming fails.
+  """
+  command = ["kubectl", "logs", "-f", pod_name]
+  try:
+    process = subprocess.Popen(
+        command,
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+        text=True,
+        bufsize=1,  # Line buffered
+    )
+    return process
+  except Exception as e:
+    _logger.exception("Error streaming logs for pod %s: %r", pod_name, e)
+    raise
+
+
 def delete_gke_job(job_name: str) -> None:
   """Deletes the given job from the GKE cluster.
 
diff --git a/pathwaysutils/experimental/shared_pathways_service/isc_pathways.py b/pathwaysutils/experimental/shared_pathways_service/isc_pathways.py
index b25df7e..69a71e5 100644
--- a/pathwaysutils/experimental/shared_pathways_service/isc_pathways.py
+++ b/pathwaysutils/experimental/shared_pathways_service/isc_pathways.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import random
 import string
 import subprocess
+import threading
 from typing import Any
 
 import jax
@@ -123,6 +124,41 @@ def _deploy_pathways_proxy_server(
   _logger.info("Successfully deployed Pathways proxy.")
 
 
+def _wait_for_placement(pod_name: str) -> None:
+  """Waits for the placement to be complete by checking proxy logs."""
+  _logger.info("Streaming proxy logs until the placement is complete...")
+  log_process = gke_utils.stream_pod_logs(pod_name)
+
+  keywords = [
+      "placement",
+      "Signaling to RM",
+      "Transition slice",
+      "FAILED_PRECONDITION",
+  ]
+  end_phrase = "unplaced -> placed"
+
+  if log_process.stdout:
+    for line in iter(log_process.stdout.readline, ""):
+      line_lower = line.lower()
+      if any(keyword.lower() in line_lower for keyword in keywords):
+        _logger.info("Proxy log: %s", line.strip())
+
+      if end_phrase.lower() in line_lower:
+        _logger.info("TPU placement complete: %s", line.strip())
+        break
+    _logger.info("Closing log process stdout.")
+    log_process.stdout.close()
+
+  # Ensure the process is terminated
+  log_process.terminate()
+  try:
+    log_process.wait(timeout=5)
+  except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+    _logger.warning("Log streaming process did not terminate gracefully.")
+    log_process.kill()
+  _logger.info("Finished waiting for placement.")
+
+
 def _restore_env_var(key: str, original_value: str | None) -> None:
   """Restores an environment variable to its original value or unsets it."""
   if original_value is None:
@@ -147,6 +183,7 @@ class _ISCPathways:
     expected_tpu_instances: A dictionary mapping TPU machine types to the number
       of instances.
     proxy_job_name: The name to use for the deployed proxy.
+    proxy_pod_name: The name of the proxy pod, assigned during deployment.
     proxy_server_image: The image to use for the proxy server.
     proxy_options: Configuration options for the Pathways proxy.
   """
@@ -171,6 +208,7 @@ def __init__(
     self.pathways_service = pathways_service
     self.expected_tpu_instances = expected_tpu_instances
     self._proxy_job_name = proxy_job_name
+    self.proxy_pod_name = ""
     self._port_forward_process = None
     self._proxy_port = None
     self.proxy_server_image = proxy_server_image
@@ -218,9 +256,11 @@ def __enter__(self):
       )
       _logger.info("View proxy logs in Cloud Logging: %s", cloud_logging_link)
 
-      proxy_pod = gke_utils.wait_for_pod(self._proxy_job_name)
+      self.proxy_pod_name = gke_utils.wait_for_pod(self._proxy_job_name)
       self._proxy_port, self._port_forward_process = (
-          gke_utils.enable_port_forwarding(proxy_pod, PROXY_SERVER_PORT)
+          gke_utils.enable_port_forwarding(
+              self.proxy_pod_name, PROXY_SERVER_PORT
+          )
       )
 
       # Update the JAX backend to use the proxy.
@@ -349,4 +389,16 @@ def connect(
       proxy_server_image=proxy_server_image,
       proxy_options=proxy_options,
   ) as t:
+    if t.proxy_pod_name:
+      placement_thread = threading.Thread(
+          target=_wait_for_placement,
+          args=(t.proxy_pod_name,),
+          daemon=True,
+      )
+      placement_thread.start()
+    else:
+      _logger.warning(
+          "proxy_pod_name not set on _ISCPathways instance, skipping background"
+          " _wait_for_placement."
+      )
     yield t