diff --git a/conformance/Makefile b/conformance/Makefile
index 5d724dbbda..8e2ee41504 100644
--- a/conformance/Makefile
+++ b/conformance/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 NKG_TAG = edge
 NKG_PREFIX = nginx-kubernetes-gateway
 GATEWAY_CLASS = nginx
-SUPPORTED_FEATURES = Gateway,HTTPRoute
+SUPPORTED_FEATURES = HTTPRoute,HTTPRouteQueryParamMatching,HTTPRouteMethodMatching,HTTPRoutePortRedirect,HTTPRouteSchemeRedirect
+EXEMPT_FEATURES = ReferenceGrant
 KIND_KUBE_CONFIG_FOLDER = $${HOME}/.kube/kind
 TAG = latest
 PREFIX = conformance-test-runner
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ update-test-kind-config: ## Update kind config
 .PHONY: run-conformance-tests
 run-conformance-tests: update-test-kind-config ## Run conformance tests
 	docker run --network=kind --rm -v $(KIND_KUBE_CONFIG_FOLDER):/root/.kube $(PREFIX):$(TAG) \
-		go test -v . -tags conformance -args --gateway-class=$(GATEWAY_CLASS) --supported-features=$(SUPPORTED_FEATURES)
+		go test -timeout 25m -v . -tags conformance -args --gateway-class=$(GATEWAY_CLASS) --debug --supported-features=$(SUPPORTED_FEATURES) --exempt-features=$(EXEMPT_FEATURES)
 
 .PHONY: uninstall-nkg
 uninstall-nkg: ## Uninstall NKG on configured kind cluster
diff --git a/conformance/tests/conformance_test.go b/conformance/tests/conformance_test.go
index b75ef2d684..f51c9de80a 100644
--- a/conformance/tests/conformance_test.go
+++ b/conformance/tests/conformance_test.go
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@ limitations under the License.
 package tests
 
 import (
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client/config"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/gateway-api/apis/v1alpha2"
@@ -41,6 +43,9 @@ func TestConformance(t *testing.T) {
 	g.Expect(v1alpha2.AddToScheme(client.Scheme())).To(Succeed())
 	g.Expect(v1beta1.AddToScheme(client.Scheme())).To(Succeed())
 
+	supportedFeatures := parseSupportedFeatures(*flags.SupportedFeatures)
+	exemptFeatures := parseSupportedFeatures(*flags.ExemptFeatures)
+
 	t.Logf(`Running conformance tests with %s GatewayClass\n cleanup: %t\n`+
 		`debug: %t\n enable all features: %t \n supported features: [%v]\n exempt features: [%v]`,
 		*flags.GatewayClassName, *flags.CleanupBaseResources, *flags.ShowDebug,
@@ -51,9 +56,26 @@ func TestConformance(t *testing.T) {
 		GatewayClassName:           *flags.GatewayClassName,
 		Debug:                      *flags.ShowDebug,
 		CleanupBaseResources:       *flags.CleanupBaseResources,
-		SupportedFeatures:          nil,
+		SupportedFeatures:          supportedFeatures,
+		ExemptFeatures:             exemptFeatures,
 		EnableAllSupportedFeatures: *flags.EnableAllSupportedFeatures,
 	})
 	cSuite.Setup(t)
 	cSuite.Run(t, tests.ConformanceTests)
 }
+
+// parseSupportedFeatures parses flag arguments and converts the string to
+// sets.Set[suite.SupportedFeature]
+// FIXME(kate-osborn): Use exported ParseSupportedFeatures function
+// https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/blob/63e423cf1b837991d2747742199d90863a98b0c3/conformance/utils/suite/suite.go#L235
+// once it's released. https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-kubernetes-gateway/issues/779
+func parseSupportedFeatures(f string) sets.Set[suite.SupportedFeature] {
+	if f == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	res := sets.Set[suite.SupportedFeature]{}
+	for _, value := range strings.Split(f, ",") {
+		res.Insert(suite.SupportedFeature(value))
+	}
+	return res
+}
diff --git a/internal/nginx/runtime/manager.go b/internal/nginx/runtime/manager.go
index 4c4cddda49..88be206d5e 100644
--- a/internal/nginx/runtime/manager.go
+++ b/internal/nginx/runtime/manager.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	pidFile        = "/etc/nginx/nginx.pid"
-	pidFileTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+	pidFileTimeout = 10 * time.Second
 )
 
 type (
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func findMainProcess(
 
 	err := wait.PollUntilContextCancel(
 		ctx,
-		1*time.Second,
+		500*time.Millisecond,
 		true, /* poll immediately */
 		func(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
 			_, err := checkFile(pidFile)