diff --git a/.github/workflows/manual-deploy-testnet-l2.yml b/.github/workflows/manual-deploy-testnet-l2.yml
index de86afaae5..ed050b6e42 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/manual-deploy-testnet-l2.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/manual-deploy-testnet-l2.yml
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ jobs:
         # It expects host_id to be an int and then multiplies it by 30s (i.e. host 0: sleep 0, host 1: sleep 30,...)
       - name: 'Stagger VM creation'
         shell: bash
-        run: sleep `expr ${{matrix.host_id}} \* 30`
+        run: sleep `expr ${{matrix.host_id}} \* 60`
 
       - name: 'Login via Azure CLI'
         uses: azure/login@v1
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ jobs:
           inlineScript: |
             az vm open-port -g Testnet -n "${{needs.build.outputs.RESOURCE_STARTING_NAME}}-${{ matrix.host_id }}-${{ GITHUB.RUN_NUMBER }}"  --port 13000,13001,6060,6061,10000
 
-      - name: 'Wait for Obscuro sequencer to start'
+      - name: 'Allow time for VM initialization'
         shell: bash
-        run: if [ 0! = ${{ matrix.host_id }} ]; then sleep 60; fi
+        run: sleep 60
 
       - name: 'Start Obscuro node-${{ matrix.host_id }} on Azure'
         uses: azure/CLI@v1