diff --git a/python/ray/tune/utils/util.py b/python/ray/tune/utils/util.py
index 688261fdb..02daa858f 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/utils/util.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/utils/util.py
@@ -462,27 +462,29 @@ def load_newest_checkpoint(dirpath: str, ckpt_pattern: str) -> dict:
     return checkpoint_state
 
 
-def wait_for_gpu(gpu_id=None, gpu_memory_limit=0.1, retry=20):
+def wait_for_gpu(gpu_id=None,
+                 target_util=0.01,
+                 retry=20,
+                 gpu_memory_limit=None):
     """Checks if a given GPU has freed memory.
 
     Requires ``gputil`` to be installed: ``pip install gputil``.
 
     Args:
-        gpu_id (Optional[str]): GPU id to check. Must be found
-            within GPUtil.getGPUs(). If none, resorts to
+        gpu_id (Optional[Union[int, str]]): GPU id or uuid to check.
+            Must be found within GPUtil.getGPUs(). If none, resorts to
             the first item returned from `ray.get_gpu_ids()`.
-        gpu_memory_limit (float): If memory usage is below
-            this quantity, the check will break.
+        target_util (float): The utilization threshold to reach to unblock.
+            Set this to 0 to block until the GPU is completely free.
         retry (int): Number of times to check GPU limit. Sleeps 5
             seconds between checks.
+        gpu_memory_limit (float): Deprecated.
 
     Returns:
-        bool
-            True if free.
+        bool: True if free.
 
     Raises:
-        RuntimeError
-            If GPUtil is not found, if no GPUs are detected
+        RuntimeError: If GPUtil is not found, if no GPUs are detected
             or if the check fails.
 
     Example:
@@ -495,20 +497,43 @@ def wait_for_gpu(gpu_id=None, gpu_memory_limit=0.1, retry=20):
 
         tune.run(tune_func, resources_per_trial={"GPU": 1}, num_samples=10)
     """
+    if gpu_memory_limit:
+        raise ValueError("'gpu_memory_limit' is deprecated. "
+                         "Use 'target_util' instead.")
     if GPUtil is None:
         raise RuntimeError(
             "GPUtil must be installed if calling `wait_for_gpu`.")
-    if not gpu_id:
+    if gpu_id is None:
         gpu_id_list = ray.get_gpu_ids()
         if not gpu_id_list:
             raise RuntimeError(f"No GPU ids found from {ray.get_gpu_ids()}. "
                                "Did you set Tune resources correctly?")
         gpu_id = gpu_id_list[0]
-    gpu_object = GPUtil.getGPUs()[gpu_id]
+
+    if isinstance(gpu_id, int):
+        list_gpu_ids = [g.id for g in GPUtil.getGPUs()]
+        if gpu_id not in list_gpu_ids:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"{gpu_id} (int) not found in GPU ids: {list_gpu_ids}. "
+                "wait_for_gpu takes either int (gpu id) or str (gpu uuid).")
+    elif isinstance(gpu_id, str):
+        list_uuids = [g.uuid for g in GPUtil.getGPUs()]
+        if gpu_id not in list_uuids:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"{gpu_id} (str) not found in GPU uuids: {list_uuids}. "
+                "wait_for_gpu takes either int (gpu id) or str (gpu uuid).")
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(f"gpu_id must be int or str -- got ({type(gpu_id)})")
+
     for i in range(int(retry)):
-        if gpu_object.memoryUsed > gpu_memory_limit:
-            logger.info(f"Waiting for GPU {gpu_id} memory to free. "
-                        f"Mem: {gpu_object.memoryUsed:0.3f}")
+        if isinstance(gpu_id, int):
+            gpu_object = [g for g in GPUtil.getGPUs() if g.id == gpu_id][0]
+        else:
+            gpu_object = [g for g in GPUtil.getGPUs() if g.uuid == gpu_id][0]
+
+        if gpu_object.memoryUtil > target_util:
+            logger.info(f"Waiting for GPU util to reach {target_util}. "
+                        f"Util: {gpu_object.memoryUtil:0.3f}")
             time.sleep(5)
         else:
             return True