diff --git a/test/e2e/operator.go b/test/e2e/operator.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..487d5742
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/operator.go
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+package e2e
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+
+	framework "github.com/operator-framework/operator-sdk/pkg/test"
+	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
+)
+
+var (
+	podLogTailLimit int64 = 15
+	// MUST match the labels in the deployment manifest: deploy/operator.yaml
+	operatorPodLabels = map[string]string{
+		"name": "jenkins-operator",
+	}
+)
+
+func getOperatorPod(t *testing.T, namespace string) *v1.Pod {
+	listOptions := metav1.ListOptions{
+		LabelSelector: labels.SelectorFromSet(operatorPodLabels).String(),
+	}
+
+	podList, err := framework.Global.KubeClient.CoreV1().Pods(namespace).List(listOptions)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(podList.Items) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected exactly one pod, got: '%+v'", podList)
+	}
+
+	return &podList.Items[0]
+}
+
+func getOperatorLogs(pod v1.Pod) (string, error) {
+	logOptions := v1.PodLogOptions{TailLines: &podLogTailLimit}
+	req := framework.Global.KubeClient.CoreV1().Pods(pod.Namespace).GetLogs(pod.Name, &logOptions)
+	podLogs, err := req.Stream()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	defer func() {
+		if podLogs != nil {
+			_ = podLogs.Close()
+		}
+	}()
+
+	buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	_, err = io.Copy(buf, podLogs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	logs := buf.String()
+	return logs, nil
+}
+
+func failTestAndPrintLogs(t *testing.T, namespace string, err error) {
+	operatorPod := getOperatorPod(t, namespace)
+	logs, logsErr := getOperatorLogs(*operatorPod)
+	if logsErr != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Couldn't get pod logs: %s", logsErr)
+	} else {
+		t.Logf("Last %d lines of log from operator:\n %s", podLogTailLimit, logs)
+	}
+
+	t.Fatal(err)
+}
diff --git a/test/e2e/wait.go b/test/e2e/wait.go
index df6d15ab..e117cee7 100644
--- a/test/e2e/wait.go
+++ b/test/e2e/wait.go
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ func waitForJenkinsBaseConfigurationToComplete(t *testing.T, jenkins *v1alpha2.J
 		t.Logf("Current Jenkins status: '%+v', error '%s'", jenkins.Status, err)
 		return err == nil && jenkins.Status.BaseConfigurationCompletedTime != nil
 	})
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	if err != nil {
+		failTestAndPrintLogs(t, jenkins.Namespace, err)
+	}
 	t.Log("Jenkins pod is running")
 
 	// update jenkins CR because Operator sets default values
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ func waitForRecreateJenkinsMasterPod(t *testing.T, jenkins *v1alpha2.Jenkins) {
 		return podList.Items[0].DeletionTimestamp == nil, nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
+		failTestAndPrintLogs(t, jenkins.Namespace, err)
 	}
 	t.Log("Jenkins pod has been recreated")
 }
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ func waitForJenkinsUserConfigurationToComplete(t *testing.T, jenkins *v1alpha2.J
 		return err == nil && jenkins.Status.UserConfigurationCompletedTime != nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
+		failTestAndPrintLogs(t, jenkins.Namespace, err)
 	}
 	t.Log("Jenkins pod is running")
 }