diff --git a/api/v1/aerospikecluster_types.go b/api/v1/aerospikecluster_types.go
index bcbb7cd37..156ed52e5 100644
--- a/api/v1/aerospikecluster_types.go
+++ b/api/v1/aerospikecluster_types.go
@@ -283,6 +283,8 @@ type RackConfig struct { //nolint:govet // for readability
 	// RollingUpdateBatchSize is the percentage/number of rack pods that will be restarted simultaneously
 	// +optional
 	RollingUpdateBatchSize *intstr.IntOrString `json:"rollingUpdateBatchSize,omitempty"`
+
+	MaxUnavailable int `json:"maxUnavailable,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Rack specifies single rack config
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/asdb.aerospike.com_aerospikeclusters.yaml b/config/crd/bases/asdb.aerospike.com_aerospikeclusters.yaml
index 6d64a64b9..e343dd23b 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/asdb.aerospike.com_aerospikeclusters.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/asdb.aerospike.com_aerospikeclusters.yaml
@@ -4603,6 +4603,8 @@ spec:
                   Aerospike cluster. Pods will be deployed in given racks based on
                   given configuration
                 properties:
+                  maxUnavailable:
+                    type: integer
                   namespaces:
                     description: List of Aerospike namespaces for which rack feature
                       will be enabled
@@ -13350,6 +13352,8 @@ spec:
                   given configuration
                 nullable: true
                 properties:
+                  maxUnavailable:
+                    type: integer
                   namespaces:
                     description: List of Aerospike namespaces for which rack feature
                       will be enabled
diff --git a/config/manifests/bases/aerospike-kubernetes-operator.clusterserviceversion.yaml b/config/manifests/bases/aerospike-kubernetes-operator.clusterserviceversion.yaml
index 2b8c3c42e..1a03a8841 100644
--- a/config/manifests/bases/aerospike-kubernetes-operator.clusterserviceversion.yaml
+++ b/config/manifests/bases/aerospike-kubernetes-operator.clusterserviceversion.yaml
@@ -47,11 +47,11 @@ spec:
           the Aerospike cluster.
         displayName: Aerospike Network Policy
         path: aerospikeNetworkPolicy
-      - description: IgnorePodList is the list of pods which are ignored by the operator
-          while checking the cluster stability and are not considered part of cluster.
-          This is only useful when there are some failed pods and operator is required
-          to do some operation on the cluster. If pods in running state are defined
-          in this list, they are not ignored.
+      - description: IgnorePodList is a list of pods that the operator will ignore
+          while assessing cluster stability. Pods specified in this list are not considered
+          part of the cluster. This is particularly useful when there are failed pods
+          and the operator needs to perform certain operations on the cluster. Note
+          that running pods included in this list will not be ignored.
         displayName: Ignore Pod List
         path: ignorePodList
       - description: Aerospike server image
diff --git a/controllers/pod.go b/controllers/pod.go
index 0cd28b466..1efd76345 100644
--- a/controllers/pod.go
+++ b/controllers/pod.go
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ func (r *SingleClusterReconciler) cleanupDanglingPodsRack(sts *appsv1.StatefulSe
 // getIgnorablePods returns pods:
 // 1. From racksToDelete that are currently not running and can be ignored in stability checks.
 // 2. User given pods in ignorePodList that are currently not running and can be ignored from stability checks.
-func (r *SingleClusterReconciler) getIgnorablePods(racksToDelete []asdbv1.Rack) (
+func (r *SingleClusterReconciler) getIgnorablePods(racksToDelete []asdbv1.Rack, configureRacks []RackState) (
 	sets.Set[string], error,
 ) {
 	ignorablePodNames := sets.Set[string]{}
@@ -669,17 +669,21 @@ func (r *SingleClusterReconciler) getIgnorablePods(racksToDelete []asdbv1.Rack)
 		}
 	}
 
-	podList, err := r.getClusterPodList()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	for idx := range configureRacks {
+		rack := &configureRacks[idx]
+		failedAllowed := r.aeroCluster.Spec.RackConfig.MaxUnavailable
 
-	userIgnorePodSet := sets.NewString(r.aeroCluster.Spec.IgnorePodList...)
+		podList, err := r.getRackPodList(rack.Rack.ID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 
-	for podIdx := range podList.Items {
-		pod := &podList.Items[podIdx]
-		if userIgnorePodSet.Has(pod.Name) && !utils.IsPodRunningAndReady(pod) {
-			ignorablePodNames.Insert(pod.Name)
+		for podIdx := range podList.Items {
+			pod := &podList.Items[podIdx]
+			if !utils.IsPodRunningAndReady(pod) && failedAllowed > 0 {
+				ignorablePodNames.Insert(pod.Name)
+				failedAllowed--
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/controllers/rack.go b/controllers/rack.go
index 263a4e380..aa6f0670e 100644
--- a/controllers/rack.go
+++ b/controllers/rack.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (r *SingleClusterReconciler) reconcileRacks() reconcileResult {
 		rackIDsToDelete = append(rackIDsToDelete, racksToDelete[idx].ID)
 	}
 
-	ignorablePodNames, err := r.getIgnorablePods(racksToDelete)
+	ignorablePodNames, err := r.getIgnorablePods(racksToDelete, rackStateList)
 	if err != nil {
 		return reconcileError(err)
 	}
diff --git a/controllers/reconciler.go b/controllers/reconciler.go
index 796147f1a..7d97e0437 100644
--- a/controllers/reconciler.go
+++ b/controllers/reconciler.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func (r *SingleClusterReconciler) Reconcile() (ctrl.Result, error) {
 		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 
-	ignorablePodNames, err := r.getIgnorablePods(nil)
+	ignorablePodNames, err := r.getIgnorablePods(nil, getConfiguredRackStateList(r.aeroCluster))
 	if err != nil {
 		r.Log.Error(err, "Failed to determine pods to be ignored")