diff --git a/cluster-autoscaler/core/static_autoscaler.go b/cluster-autoscaler/core/static_autoscaler.go
index 3dfced108c82..11c3b42c3840 100644
--- a/cluster-autoscaler/core/static_autoscaler.go
+++ b/cluster-autoscaler/core/static_autoscaler.go
@@ -149,12 +149,15 @@ func NewStaticAutoscaler(
 
 	scaleDown := NewScaleDown(autoscalingContext, processors, clusterStateRegistry)
 
+	// Set the initial scale times to be less than the start time so as to
+	// not start in cooldown mode.
+	initialScaleTime := time.Now().Add(-time.Hour)
 	return &StaticAutoscaler{
 		AutoscalingContext:      autoscalingContext,
 		startTime:               time.Now(),
-		lastScaleUpTime:         time.Now(),
-		lastScaleDownDeleteTime: time.Now(),
-		lastScaleDownFailTime:   time.Now(),
+		lastScaleUpTime:         initialScaleTime,
+		lastScaleDownDeleteTime: initialScaleTime,
+		lastScaleDownFailTime:   initialScaleTime,
 		scaleDown:               scaleDown,
 		processors:              processors,
 		processorCallbacks:      processorCallbacks,