diff --git a/pkg/cluster/pod.go b/pkg/cluster/pod.go
index 705d2b987..9e8ded844 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/pod.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 
+	acidv1 "github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/apis/acid.zalan.do/v1"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/spec"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util/patroni"
@@ -349,6 +350,54 @@ func (c *Cluster) MigrateReplicaPod(podName spec.NamespacedName, fromNodeName st
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (c *Cluster) getPatroniConfig(pod *v1.Pod) (acidv1.Patroni, map[string]string, error) {
+	var (
+		patroniConfig acidv1.Patroni
+		pgParameters  map[string]string
+	)
+	podName := util.NameFromMeta(pod.ObjectMeta)
+	err := retryutil.Retry(1*time.Second, 5*time.Second,
+		func() (bool, error) {
+			var err error
+			patroniConfig, pgParameters, err = c.patroni.GetConfig(pod)
+
+			if err != nil {
+				return false, err
+			}
+			return true, nil
+		},
+	)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return acidv1.Patroni{}, nil, fmt.Errorf("could not get Postgres config from pod %s: %v", podName, err)
+	}
+
+	return patroniConfig, pgParameters, nil
+}
+
+func (c *Cluster) getPatroniMemberData(pod *v1.Pod) (patroni.MemberData, error) {
+	var memberData patroni.MemberData
+	err := retryutil.Retry(1*time.Second, 5*time.Second,
+		func() (bool, error) {
+			var err error
+			memberData, err = c.patroni.GetMemberData(pod)
+
+			if err != nil {
+				return false, err
+			}
+			return true, nil
+		},
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return patroni.MemberData{}, fmt.Errorf("could not get member data: %v", err)
+	}
+	if memberData.State == "creating replica" {
+		return patroni.MemberData{}, fmt.Errorf("replica currently being initialized")
+	}
+
+	return memberData, nil
+}
+
 func (c *Cluster) recreatePod(podName spec.NamespacedName) (*v1.Pod, error) {
 	ch := c.registerPodSubscriber(podName)
 	defer c.unregisterPodSubscriber(podName)
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/sync.go b/pkg/cluster/sync.go
index 8daddae77..a7b1a3c14 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/sync.go
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util/constants"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util/k8sutil"
-	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util/patroni"
-	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util/retryutil"
 	batchv1beta1 "k8s.io/api/batch/v1beta1"
 	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	policybeta1 "k8s.io/api/policy/v1beta1"
@@ -405,25 +403,9 @@ func (c *Cluster) syncStatefulSet() error {
 	// get Postgres config, compare with manifest and update via Patroni PATCH endpoint if it differs
 	// Patroni's config endpoint is just a "proxy" to DCS. It is enough to patch it only once and it doesn't matter which pod is used.
 	for i, pod := range pods {
-		var (
-			patroniConfig acidv1.Patroni
-			pgParameters  map[string]string
-			err           error
-		)
-		podName := util.NameFromMeta(pods[i].ObjectMeta)
-		err = retryutil.Retry(1*time.Second, 5*time.Second,
-			func() (bool, error) {
-				var err error
-				patroniConfig, pgParameters, err = c.patroni.GetConfig(&pod)
-
-				if err != nil {
-					return false, err
-				}
-				return true, nil
-			},
-		)
+		patroniConfig, pgParameters, err := c.getPatroniConfig(&pod)
 		if err != nil {
-			c.logger.Warningf("could not get Postgres config from pod %s: %v", podName, err)
+			c.logger.Warningf("%v", err)
 			isSafeToRecreatePods = false
 			continue
 		}
@@ -434,7 +416,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) syncStatefulSet() error {
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(patroniConfig, acidv1.Patroni{}) || len(pgParameters) > 0 {
 			restartMasterFirst, err = c.checkAndSetGlobalPostgreSQLConfiguration(&pod, patroniConfig, pgParameters)
 			if err != nil {
-				c.logger.Warningf("could not set PostgreSQL configuration options for pod %s: %v", podName, err)
+				c.logger.Warningf("could not set PostgreSQL configuration options for pod %s: %v", pods[i].Name, err)
 				continue
 			}
 			// it could take up to LoopWait to apply the config
@@ -456,7 +438,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) syncStatefulSet() error {
 			continue
 		}
 		if err = c.restartInstance(&pod, restartWait); err != nil {
-			c.logger.Errorf("could not restart Postgres in %s pod %s: %v", role, pod.Name, err)
+			c.logger.Errorf("%v", err)
 			isSafeToRecreatePods = false
 		}
 	}
@@ -464,9 +446,8 @@ func (c *Cluster) syncStatefulSet() error {
 	// in most cases only the master should be left to restart
 	if len(remainingPods) > 0 {
 		for _, remainingPod := range remainingPods {
-			role := PostgresRole(remainingPod.Labels[c.OpConfig.PodRoleLabel])
 			if err = c.restartInstance(remainingPod, restartWait); err != nil {
-				c.logger.Errorf("could not restart Postgres in %s pod %s: %v", role, remainingPod.Name, err)
+				c.logger.Errorf("%v", err)
 				isSafeToRecreatePods = false
 			}
 		}
@@ -491,27 +472,12 @@ func (c *Cluster) syncStatefulSet() error {
 
 func (c *Cluster) restartInstance(pod *v1.Pod, restartWait uint32) error {
 	// if the config update requires a restart, call Patroni restart
-	var memberData patroni.MemberData
-	err := retryutil.Retry(1*time.Second, 5*time.Second,
-		func() (bool, error) {
-			var err error
-			memberData, err = c.patroni.GetMemberData(pod)
-
-			if err != nil {
-				return false, err
-			}
-			return true, nil
-		},
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not get member data: %v", err)
-	}
-	if memberData.State == "creating replica" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("replica currently being initialized")
-	}
-
 	podName := util.NameFromMeta(pod.ObjectMeta)
 	role := PostgresRole(pod.Labels[c.OpConfig.PodRoleLabel])
+	memberData, err := c.getPatroniMemberData(pod)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not restart Postgres in %s pod %s: %v", role, podName, err)
+	}
 
 	// do restart only when it is pending
 	if memberData.PendingRestart {