diff --git a/pkg/pillar/scripts/device-steps.sh b/pkg/pillar/scripts/device-steps.sh
index 318daff492..b917dabc89 100755
--- a/pkg/pillar/scripts/device-steps.sh
+++ b/pkg/pillar/scripts/device-steps.sh
@@ -155,8 +155,11 @@ populate_ntp_sources() {
     echo "$args" | xargs /usr/bin/chronyc -m
     ret_code=$?
     echo "$(date -Ins -u) chronyc: $ret_code"
-    # Init global variable
-    NTPSERVERS="$ns"
+    if [ "$ret_code" = "0" ]; then
+        # Init global variable only in case of success.
+        # In case of failure we should repeat shortly.
+        NTPSERVERS="$ns"
+    fi
 }
 
 # Start NTP daemon
@@ -508,5 +511,5 @@ while true; do
         # Reload NTP sources
         reload_ntp_sources "$ns"
     fi
-    sleep 300
+    sleep 30
 done