diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/pool/controller.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/pool/controller.go
index 80ba25682..2e17b8568 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/pool/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/pool/controller.go
@@ -385,13 +385,16 @@ func createPool(context *clusterd.Context, clusterInfo *cephclient.ClusterInfo,
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to create pool %q", p.Name)
 	}
 
-	logger.Infof("initializing pool %q", p.Name)
+	if appName != poolApplicationNameRBD {
+		return nil
+	}
+	logger.Infof("initializing pool %q for RBD use", p.Name)
 	args := []string{"pool", "init", p.Name}
 	output, err := cephclient.NewRBDCommand(context, clusterInfo, args).Run()
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to initialize pool %q. %s", p.Name, string(output))
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to initialize pool %q for RBD use. %s", p.Name, string(output))
 	}
-	logger.Infof("successfully initialized pool %q", p.Name)
+	logger.Infof("successfully initialized pool %q for RBD use", p.Name)
 
 	return nil
 }