diff --git a/aana/cli.py b/aana/cli.py
index 706ce5e3..2cd439d8 100644
--- a/aana/cli.py
+++ b/aana/cli.py
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ def load_app(app_path: str):
     is_flag=True,
     help="Skip migrations before deploying",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--sequential-deploy",
+    is_flag=True,
+    help="Deploy the application's deployments sequentially",
+)
 def deploy(
     app_path: str,
     host: str,
@@ -80,6 +85,7 @@ def deploy(
     ray_dashboard_host: str,
     ray_dashboard_port: int,
     skip_migrations: bool,
+    sequential_deploy: bool,
 ):
     """Deploy the application.
 
@@ -100,7 +106,7 @@ def deploy(
     with contextlib.suppress(
         DeploymentException
     ):  # we have a nice error message for this
-        aana_app.deploy(blocking=True)
+        aana_app.deploy(blocking=True, sequential=sequential_deploy)
 
 
 @cli.command()
diff --git a/aana/deployments/task_queue_deployment.py b/aana/deployments/task_queue_deployment.py
index 1d09ad42..5b90bc99 100644
--- a/aana/deployments/task_queue_deployment.py
+++ b/aana/deployments/task_queue_deployment.py
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ async def loop(self):  # noqa: C901
         configuration_attempts = 0
         full_queue_attempts = 0
         no_tasks_attempts = 0
+        no_app_attempts = 0
 
         while True:
             # Check the health of the app
@@ -156,22 +157,14 @@ async def loop(self):  # noqa: C901
                 full_queue_attempts = 0
 
             if not handle:
-                # Sometimes the app isn't available immediately after the deployment is created
-                # so we need to wait for it to become available
-                for _ in range(10):
-                    try:
-                        handle = serve.get_app_handle(self.app_name)
-                        break
-                    except ray.serve.exceptions.RayServeException as e:
-                        print(
-                            f"App {self.app_name} not available yet: {e}, retrying..."
-                        )
-                        await asyncio.sleep(1)
-                else:
-                    # If the app is not available after all retries, try again
-                    # but without catching the exception
-                    # (if it fails, the deployment will be unhealthy, and restart will be attempted)
+                # Try to get the app handle, if it fails, wait and retry later
+                try:
                     handle = serve.get_app_handle(self.app_name)
+                except ray.serve.exceptions.RayServeException as e:
+                    print(f"App {self.app_name} not available yet: {e}, retrying...")
+                    await sleep_exponential_backoff(1.0, 5.0, no_app_attempts)
+                    no_app_attempts += 1
+                    continue
 
             # Get new tasks from the database
             with get_session() as session:
diff --git a/aana/sdk.py b/aana/sdk.py
index fe717f55..47005780 100644
--- a/aana/sdk.py
+++ b/aana/sdk.py
@@ -355,11 +355,12 @@ def wait_for_deployment(self):  # noqa: C901
 
             time.sleep(1)  # Wait for 1 second before checking again
 
-    def deploy(self, blocking: bool = False):
+    def deploy(self, blocking: bool = False, sequential: bool = False):
         """Deploy the application with the registered endpoints and deployments.
 
         Args:
             blocking (bool, optional): If True, the function will block until interrupted. Defaults to False.
+            sequential (bool, optional): If True, the deployments will be deployed sequentially. Defaults to False.
         """
         try:
             for deployment_name in self.deployments:
@@ -369,6 +370,8 @@ def deploy(self, blocking: bool = False):
                     route_prefix=f"/{deployment_name}",
                     _blocking=False,
                 )
+                if sequential:
+                    self.wait_for_deployment()
 
             serve.api._run(
                 self.get_main_app(),