diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/util.go b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
index 59d58947f6..a1c6fe6901 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/util.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/util.go
@@ -1496,10 +1496,12 @@ func eventOccurred(c clientset.Interface, podName, namespace, eventSelector, msg
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, fmt.Errorf("got error while getting pod events: %s", err)
 		}
-		if len(events.Items) == 0 {
-			return false, nil // no events have occurred yet
+		for _, event := range events.Items {
+			if strings.Contains(event.Message, msg) {
+				return true, nil
+			}
 		}
-		return strings.Contains(events.Items[0].Message, msg), nil
+		return false, nil
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/storage/testsuites/subpath.go b/test/e2e/storage/testsuites/subpath.go
index 619b1d545a..b87cf85a7a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/storage/testsuites/subpath.go
+++ b/test/e2e/storage/testsuites/subpath.go
@@ -587,8 +587,6 @@ func testPodFailSubpathError(f *framework.Framework, pod *v1.Pod, errorMsg strin
 	defer func() {
 		framework.DeletePodWithWait(f, f.ClientSet, pod)
 	}()
-	err = framework.WaitForPodRunningInNamespace(f.ClientSet, pod)
-	Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred(), "while waiting for pod to be running")
 
 	By("Checking for subpath error event")
 	selector := fields.Set{