diff --git a/flink-kubernetes-operator/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/kubernetes/operator/observer/deployment/AbstractFlinkDeploymentObserver.java b/flink-kubernetes-operator/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/kubernetes/operator/observer/deployment/AbstractFlinkDeploymentObserver.java
index 713e132ad2..cd817ec89d 100644
--- a/flink-kubernetes-operator/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/kubernetes/operator/observer/deployment/AbstractFlinkDeploymentObserver.java
+++ b/flink-kubernetes-operator/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/kubernetes/operator/observer/deployment/AbstractFlinkDeploymentObserver.java
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.PodList;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.Deployment;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.DeploymentCondition;
-import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.DeploymentSpec;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.DeploymentStatus;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
@@ -117,11 +116,11 @@ protected void observeJmDeployment(FlinkResourceContext<FlinkDeployment> ctx) {
                 ctx.getJosdkContext().getSecondaryResource(Deployment.class);
         if (deployment.isPresent()) {
             DeploymentStatus status = deployment.get().getStatus();
-            DeploymentSpec spec = deployment.get().getSpec();
             if (status != null
                     && status.getAvailableReplicas() != null
-                    && spec.getReplicas().intValue() == status.getReplicas()
-                    && spec.getReplicas().intValue() == status.getAvailableReplicas()
+                    // One available JM is enough to run the job correctly
+                    && status.getReplicas() > 0
+                    && status.getAvailableReplicas() > 0
                     && ctx.getFlinkService().isJobManagerPortReady(ctx.getObserveConfig())) {
 
                 // typically it takes a few seconds for the REST server to be ready
diff --git a/flink-kubernetes-operator/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/kubernetes/operator/TestUtils.java b/flink-kubernetes-operator/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/kubernetes/operator/TestUtils.java
index 6af375edb3..d9492bfd60 100644
--- a/flink-kubernetes-operator/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/kubernetes/operator/TestUtils.java
+++ b/flink-kubernetes-operator/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/kubernetes/operator/TestUtils.java
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ public static Deployment createDeployment(boolean ready) {
         String nowTs = Instant.now().toString();
         var status = new DeploymentStatus();
         status.setAvailableReplicas(ready ? 1 : 0);
-        status.setReplicas(1);
+        status.setReplicas(2);
         var availableCondition = new DeploymentCondition();
         availableCondition.setType("Available");
         availableCondition.setStatus(ready ? "True" : "False");
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ public static Deployment createDeployment(boolean ready) {
         status.setConditions(List.of(availableCondition));
 
         DeploymentSpec spec = new DeploymentSpec();
-        spec.setReplicas(1);
+        spec.setReplicas(3);
 
         var meta = new ObjectMeta();
         meta.setCreationTimestamp(nowTs);