diff --git a/.github/workflows/caname-id-test.yml b/.github/workflows/caname-id-test.yml
index b5f760c..86384f5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/caname-id-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/caname-id-test.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ on:
         type: string
         description: "Version of Go used to build ncm-issuer image"
         required: true
+      image-artifact-name:
+        type: string
+        description: "Name of the ncm-issuer image artifact"
+        required: true
 
 jobs:
   ca-id-test:
@@ -28,11 +32,14 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set KUBECONFIG for MicroK8s
       run: echo "KUBECONFIG=/var/snap/microk8s/current/credentials/client.config" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: "build ncm-issuer image"
-      run: |
-        make docker-build
-        docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer.tar
-        sudo microk8s ctr image import ncm-issuer.tar
+    - name: "Download ncm-issuer image"
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      with:
+        name: ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}
+        path: .
+
+    - name: "Load ncm-issuer image"
+      run: sudo microk8s ctr image import ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}.tar
 
     - name: "install cert-manager charts"
       run: |
@@ -98,10 +105,13 @@ jobs:
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/ncm-issuer.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer
 
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 10s
+    - name: "wait for ncm-issuer readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.items[0].status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for ncm-issuer to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "ncm-issuer is ready"
 
     - name: "check issuer status"
       run: |
@@ -114,10 +124,13 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/cert-resource.yml
 
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 10s
+    - name: "wait for certificate readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get certificate.cert-manager.io/ncm-cert -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for certificate to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "Certificate is ready"
 
     - name: "check certificate resource"
       run: |
@@ -179,11 +192,14 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set KUBECONFIG for MicroK8s
       run: echo "KUBECONFIG=/var/snap/microk8s/current/credentials/client.config" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: "build ncm-issuer image"
-      run: |
-        make docker-build
-        docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer.tar
-        sudo microk8s ctr image import ncm-issuer.tar
+    - name: "Download ncm-issuer image"
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      with:
+        name: ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}
+        path: .
+
+    - name: "Load ncm-issuer image"
+      run: sudo microk8s ctr image import ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}.tar
 
     - name: "install cert-manager charts"
       run: |
@@ -246,10 +262,13 @@ jobs:
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/ncm-issuer.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer
 
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 10s
+    - name: "wait for ncm-issuer readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.items[0].status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for ncm-issuer to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "ncm-issuer is ready"
 
     - name: "check issuer status"
       run: |
@@ -262,10 +281,13 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/cert-resource.yml
 
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 10s
+    - name: "wait for certificate readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get certificate.cert-manager.io/ncm-cert -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for certificate to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "Certificate is ready"
 
     - name: "check certificate resource"
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/clientauth-test.yml b/.github/workflows/clientauth-test.yml
index c007b8e..40a8fce 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/clientauth-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/clientauth-test.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ on:
         type: string
         description: "Version of Go used to build ncm-issuer image"
         required: true
+      image-artifact-name:
+        type: string
+        description: "Name of the ncm-issuer image artifact"
+        required: true
 
 jobs:
   client-auth-test:
@@ -33,11 +37,14 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set KUBECONFIG for MicroK8s
       run: echo "KUBECONFIG=/var/snap/microk8s/current/credentials/client.config" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: "build ncm-issuer image"
-      run: |
-        make docker-build
-        docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer.tar
-        sudo microk8s ctr image import ncm-issuer.tar
+    - name: "Download ncm-issuer image"
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      with:
+        name: ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}
+        path: .
+
+    - name: "Load ncm-issuer image"
+      run: sudo microk8s ctr image import ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}.tar
 
     - name: "install cert-manager charts"
       run: |
@@ -113,10 +120,13 @@ jobs:
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/ncm-issuer.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer
 
-    - name: "sleep for 15s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 15s
+    - name: "wait for ncm-issuer readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.items[0].status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for ncm-issuer to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "ncm-issuer is ready"
 
     - name: "check issuer status"
       run: |
@@ -129,10 +139,13 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/cert-resource.yml
 
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 10s
+    - name: "wait for certificate readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get certificate.cert-manager.io/ncm-cert -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for certificate to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "Certificate is ready"
 
     - name: "check certificate resource"
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
index 4147cd6..f07d85d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -15,43 +15,66 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: arnested/go-version-action@v1
         id: versions
+  build-image:
+    name: "Build ncm-issuer image"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: go-versions
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+      - run: go version
+      - name: "Build ncm-issuer image"
+        run: |
+          make docker-build
+          docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer-image.tar
+          echo "ncm-issuer image built and saved to ncm-issuer-image.tar"
+      - name: "Upload ncm-issuer image"
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: ncm-issuer-image
+          path: ncm-issuer-image.tar
 
   clientauth:
     name: "clientauth test"
-    needs: go-versions
+    needs: [go-versions, build-image]
     uses: ./.github/workflows/clientauth-test.yml
     secrets: inherit
     with:
       go-version: ${{ fromJSON(needs.go-versions.outputs.go-mod-version) }}
+      image-artifact-name: ncm-issuer-image
 
   caname-id:
     name: "ca name/id tests"
-    needs: go-versions
+    needs: [go-versions, build-image]
     uses: ./.github/workflows/caname-id-test.yml
     secrets: inherit
     with:
       go-version: ${{ fromJSON(needs.go-versions.outputs.go-mod-version) }}
+      image-artifact-name: ncm-issuer-image
 
   signer:
     name: "signer test"
-    needs: go-versions
+    needs: [go-versions, build-image]
     uses: ./.github/workflows/signer-tests.yml
     secrets: inherit
     with:
       go-version: ${{ fromJSON(needs.go-versions.outputs.go-mod-version) }}
+      image-artifact-name: ncm-issuer-image
 
   pkey:
     name: "pkey tests"
-    needs: go-versions
+    needs: [go-versions, build-image]
     uses: ./.github/workflows/pkey-tests.yml
     secrets: inherit
     with:
       go-version: ${{ fromJSON(needs.go-versions.outputs.go-mod-version) }}
+      image-artifact-name: ncm-issuer-image
 
   san:
     name: "san test"
-    needs: go-versions
+    needs: [go-versions, build-image]
     uses: ./.github/workflows/san-test.yml
     secrets: inherit
     with:
       go-version: ${{ fromJSON(needs.go-versions.outputs.go-mod-version) }}
+      image-artifact-name: ncm-issuer-image
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pkey-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/pkey-tests.yml
index 3f68697..f23c086 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pkey-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pkey-tests.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ on:
         type: string
         description: "Version of Go used to build ncm-issuer image"
         required: true
+      image-artifact-name:
+        type: string
+        description: "Name of the ncm-issuer image artifact"
+        required: true
 
 jobs:
   ecdsa-test:
@@ -31,11 +35,14 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set KUBECONFIG for MicroK8s
       run: echo "KUBECONFIG=/var/snap/microk8s/current/credentials/client.config" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: "build ncm-issuer image"
-      run: |
-        make docker-build
-        docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer.tar
-        sudo microk8s ctr image import ncm-issuer.tar
+    - name: "Download ncm-issuer image"
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      with:
+        name: ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}
+        path: .
+
+    - name: "Load ncm-issuer image"
+      run: sudo microk8s ctr image import ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}.tar
 
     - name: "install cert-manager charts"
       run: |
@@ -107,10 +114,13 @@ jobs:
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/ncm-issuer.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer
 
-    - name: "sleep for 15s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 15s
+    - name: "wait for ncm-issuer readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.items[0].status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for ncm-issuer to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "ncm-issuer is ready"
 
     - name: "check issuer status"
       run: |
@@ -123,10 +133,13 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/cert-resource.yml
 
-    - name: "sleep for 15s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 15s
+    - name: "wait for certificate readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get certificate.cert-manager.io/ncm-cert -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for certificate to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "Certificate is ready"
 
     - name: "check certificate resource"
       run: |
@@ -212,11 +225,14 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set KUBECONFIG for MicroK8s
       run: echo "KUBECONFIG=/var/snap/microk8s/current/credentials/client.config" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: "build ncm-issuer image"
-      run: |
-        make docker-build
-        docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer.tar
-        sudo microk8s ctr image import ncm-issuer.tar
+    - name: "Download ncm-issuer image"
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      with:
+        name: ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}
+        path: .
+
+    - name: "Load ncm-issuer image"
+      run: sudo microk8s ctr image import ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}.tar
 
     - name: "install cert-manager charts"
       run: |
@@ -287,10 +303,13 @@ jobs:
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/ncm-issuer.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer
 
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 10s
+    - name: "wait for ncm-issuer readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.items[0].status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for ncm-issuer to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "ncm-issuer is ready"
 
     - name: "check issuer status"
       run: |
@@ -303,10 +322,13 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/cert-resource.yml
 
-    - name: "sleep for 15s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 15s
+    - name: "wait for certificate readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get certificate.cert-manager.io/ncm-cert -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for certificate to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "Certificate is ready"
 
     - name: "check certificate resource"
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/san-test.yml b/.github/workflows/san-test.yml
index 5274a32..288389e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/san-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/san-test.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ on:
         type: string
         description: "Version of Go used to build ncm-issuer image"
         required: true
+      image-artifact-name:
+        type: string
+        description: "Name of the ncm-issuer image artifact"
+        required: true
 
 jobs:
   san-test:
@@ -44,11 +48,14 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set KUBECONFIG for MicroK8s
       run: echo "KUBECONFIG=/var/snap/microk8s/current/credentials/client.config" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: "build ncm-issuer image"
-      run: |
-        make docker-build
-        docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer.tar
-        sudo microk8s ctr image import ncm-issuer.tar
+    - name: "Download ncm-issuer image"
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      with:
+        name: ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}
+        path: .
+
+    - name: "Load ncm-issuer image"
+      run: sudo microk8s ctr image import ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}.tar
 
     - name: "install cert-manager charts"
       run: |
@@ -115,10 +122,13 @@ jobs:
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/ncm-issuer.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer
 
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 10s
+    - name: "wait for ncm-issuer readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.items[0].status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for ncm-issuer to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "ncm-issuer is ready"
 
     - name: "check issuer status"
       run: |
@@ -131,10 +141,13 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/cert-resource.yml
 
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 10s
+    - name: "wait for certificate readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get certificate.cert-manager.io/ncm-cert -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for certificate to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "Certificate is ready"
 
     - name: "check certificate resource"
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/signer-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/signer-tests.yml
index f8eb2d0..5c7a5b8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/signer-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/signer-tests.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ on:
         type: string
         description: "Version of Go used to build ncm-issuer image"
         required: true
+      image-artifact-name:
+        type: string
+        description: "Name of the ncm-issuer image artifact"
+        required: true
 
 jobs:
   issuer-test:
@@ -42,16 +46,14 @@ jobs:
         echo CERTMGR_VERSION=$(sudo microk8s.helm3 list -n cert-manager -o yaml|grep -Po 'cert-manager-\K.*' -m 1) >> $GITHUB_ENV
     - run: echo "cert-manager ${{ env.CERTMGR_VERSION }}"
 
-    - name: "build ncm-issuer image"
-      run: |
-        make docker-build
-        docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer.tar
-        sudo microk8s ctr image import ncm-issuer.tar
-
-    - name: "sleep for 10s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
+    - name: "Download ncm-issuer image"
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
       with:
-        time: 10s
+        name: ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}
+        path: .
+
+    - name: "Load ncm-issuer image"
+      run: sudo microk8s ctr image import ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}.tar
 
     - name: "cert-manager status"
       run: |
@@ -105,10 +107,14 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/ncm-issuer.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer
-    - name: "sleep for 15s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 15s
+
+    - name: "wait for ncm-issuer readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get issuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.items[0].status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for ncm-issuer to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "ncm-issuer is ready"
 
     - name: "check issuer status"
       run: |
@@ -120,10 +126,13 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/cert-resource.yml
 
-    - name: "sleep for 15s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 15s
+    - name: "wait for certificate readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get certificate.cert-manager.io/ncm-cert -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for certificate to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "Certificate is ready"
 
     - name: "check certificate resource"
       run: |
@@ -209,11 +218,14 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set KUBECONFIG for MicroK8s
       run: echo "KUBECONFIG=/var/snap/microk8s/current/credentials/client.config" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: "build ncm-issuer image"
-      run: |
-        make docker-build
-        docker save ncm-issuer > ncm-issuer.tar
-        sudo microk8s ctr image import ncm-issuer.tar
+    - name: "Download ncm-issuer image"
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      with:
+        name: ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}
+        path: .
+
+    - name: "Load ncm-issuer image"
+      run: sudo microk8s ctr image import ${{ inputs.image-artifact-name }}.tar
 
     - name: "install cert-manager charts"
       run: |
@@ -290,10 +302,13 @@ jobs:
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/ncm-issuer.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl get clusterissuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer
 
-    - name: "sleep for 15s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 15s
+    - name: "wait for ncm-issuer readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get clusterissuers.certmanager.ncm.nokia.com -n ncm-issuer -o jsonpath="{.items[0].status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for ncm-issuer to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "ncm-issuer is ready"
 
     - name: "check issuer status"
       run: |
@@ -307,10 +322,13 @@ jobs:
         cat data/cert-resource.yml
         sudo microk8s.kubectl apply -f data/cert-resource.yml
 
-    - name: "sleep for 15s"
-      uses: juliangruber/sleep-action@v1
-      with:
-        time: 15s
+    - name: "wait for certificate readiness"
+      run: |
+        while [[ $(sudo microk8s.kubectl get certificate.cert-manager.io/ncm-cert -n ncm-cert -o jsonpath="{.status.conditions[?(@.type=='Ready')].status}") != "True" ]]; do
+          echo "Waiting for certificate to be ready..."
+          sleep 1
+        done
+        echo "Certificate is ready"
 
     - name: "check certificate resource"
       run: |