diff --git a/contentctl/output/conf_output.py b/contentctl/output/conf_output.py
index edaff542..87b89921 100644
--- a/contentctl/output/conf_output.py
+++ b/contentctl/output/conf_output.py
@@ -300,6 +300,10 @@ def inspectAppAPI(self, username:str, password:str, stack_type:str)->str:
             "Authorization": f"bearer {authorization_bearer}"
         }
         startTime = timeit.default_timer()
+        # the first time, wait for 40 seconds. subsequent times, wait for less.
+        # this is because appinspect takes some time to return, so there is no sense
+        # checking many times when we know it will take at least 40 seconds to run.
+        iteration_wait_time = 40
         while True:
             
             res = get(APPINSPECT_API_VALIDATION_STATUS, headers=headers)
@@ -307,7 +311,8 @@ def inspectAppAPI(self, username:str, password:str, stack_type:str)->str:
             status = res.json().get("status",None)
             if status in ["PROCESSING", "PREPARING"]:
                 print(f"[{self.getElapsedTime(startTime)}] Appinspect API is {status}...")
-                time.sleep(15)
+                time.sleep(iteration_wait_time)
+                iteration_wait_time = 1
                 continue
             elif status == "SUCCESS":
                 print(f"[{self.getElapsedTime(startTime)}] Appinspect API has finished!")
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a7157156..02fa2b58 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "contentctl"
-version = "3.4.1"
+version = "3.4.2"
 description = "Splunk Content Control Tool"
 authors = ["STRT <research@splunk.com>"]
 license = "Apache 2.0"