diff --git a/tailroute.go b/tailroute.go
index 01e4d1695677207fc1c33e4eab9bfffeccaa7396..af83e5332d615ea1bd54846f0939eca8ea2c8a97 100644
--- a/tailroute.go
+++ b/tailroute.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ 	"context"
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"log"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
@@ -95,17 +94,13 @@ 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// wait for tailscale to start before trying to fetch cert names
-	for i := 0; i < 60; i++ {
-		st, err := lc.Status(context.Background())
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("error retrieving tailscale status; retrying: %v", err)
-		} else {
-			if st.BackendState == "Running" {
-				break
-			}
+	for {
+		upCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+		status, err := s.Up(upCtx)
+		if err == nil && status != nil {
+			break
 		}
-		time.Sleep(time.Second)
 	}
 
 	ctx := context.Background()