diff --git a/pkg/agent/apiserver/apiserver.go b/pkg/agent/apiserver/apiserver.go
index 4b767d3c345..75152d68109 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/apiserver/apiserver.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/apiserver/apiserver.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net"
+	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	k8sversion "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/version"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/registry/rest"
 	genericapiserver "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/healthz"
 	genericoptions "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/options"
 
 	"github.com/vmware-tanzu/antrea/pkg/agent/apiserver/handlers/addressgroup"
@@ -93,7 +95,7 @@ func installAPIGroup(s *genericapiserver.GenericAPIServer, aq agentquerier.Agent
 // New creates an APIServer for running in antrea agent.
 func New(aq agentquerier.AgentQuerier, npq querier.AgentNetworkPolicyInfoQuerier, bindPort int,
 	enableMetrics bool, kubeconfig string, cipherSuites []uint16, tlsMinVersion uint16) (*agentAPIServer, error) {
-	cfg, err := newConfig(bindPort, enableMetrics, kubeconfig)
+	cfg, err := newConfig(npq, bindPort, enableMetrics, kubeconfig)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -110,7 +112,7 @@ func New(aq agentquerier.AgentQuerier, npq querier.AgentNetworkPolicyInfoQuerier
 	return &agentAPIServer{GenericAPIServer: s}, nil
 }
 
-func newConfig(bindPort int, enableMetrics bool, kubeconfig string) (*genericapiserver.CompletedConfig, error) {
+func newConfig(npq querier.AgentNetworkPolicyInfoQuerier, bindPort int, enableMetrics bool, kubeconfig string) (*genericapiserver.CompletedConfig, error) {
 	secureServing := genericoptions.NewSecureServingOptions().WithLoopback()
 	authentication := genericoptions.NewDelegatingAuthenticationOptions()
 	authorization := genericoptions.NewDelegatingAuthorizationOptions().WithAlwaysAllowPaths("/healthz", "/livez", "/readyz")
@@ -155,6 +157,14 @@ func newConfig(bindPort int, enableMetrics bool, kubeconfig string) (*genericapi
 		GitCommit:    antreaversion.GetGitSHA(),
 	}
 	serverConfig.EnableMetrics = enableMetrics
+	// Add readiness probe to check the status of watchers.
+	check := healthz.NamedCheck("watcher", func(_ *http.Request) error {
+		if npq.GetControllerConnectionStatus() {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("some watchers may not be connected")
+	})
+	serverConfig.ReadyzChecks = append(serverConfig.ReadyzChecks, check)
 
 	completedServerCfg := serverConfig.Complete(nil)
 	return &completedServerCfg, nil
diff --git a/pkg/agent/controller/networkpolicy/networkpolicy_controller.go b/pkg/agent/controller/networkpolicy/networkpolicy_controller.go
index 38f18085248..877ce3f2f8f 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/controller/networkpolicy/networkpolicy_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/controller/networkpolicy/networkpolicy_controller.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package networkpolicy
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@ const (
 	defaultWorkers = 4
 )
 
+var emptyWatch = watch.NewEmptyWatch()
+
 // Controller is responsible for watching Antrea AddressGroups, AppliedToGroups,
 // and NetworkPolicies, feeding them to ruleCache, getting dirty rules from
 // ruleCache, invoking reconciler to reconcile them.
@@ -584,6 +587,12 @@ func (w *watcher) watch() {
 		klog.Warningf("Failed to start watch for %s: %v", w.objectType, err)
 		return
 	}
+	// Watch method doesn't return error but "emptyWatch" in case of some partial data errors,
+	// e.g. timeout error. Make sure that watcher is not empty and log warning otherwise.
+	if reflect.TypeOf(watcher) == reflect.TypeOf(emptyWatch) {
+		klog.Warningf("Failed to start watch for %s. Please ensure antrea service is reachable for the agent", w.objectType)
+		return
+	}
 
 	klog.Infof("Started watch for %s", w.objectType)
 	w.setConnected(true)