diff --git a/.github/actions/e2e/create-cluster/action.yaml b/.github/actions/e2e/create-cluster/action.yaml
index 82fae1255d72..a6e39b6f7328 100644
--- a/.github/actions/e2e/create-cluster/action.yaml
+++ b/.github/actions/e2e/create-cluster/action.yaml
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ inputs:
   git_ref:
     description: "The git commit, tag, or branch to check out. Requires a corresponding Karpenter snapshot release"
     required: false
-  create_cluster:
-    required: true
 runs:
   using: "composite"
   steps:
@@ -200,7 +198,6 @@ runs:
       done
   - name: install prometheus
     uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/install-prometheus
-    if: always() && inputs.create_cluster
     with:
       account_id: ${{ inputs.account_id }}
       role: ${{ inputs.role }}
@@ -210,7 +207,6 @@ runs:
       git_ref: ${{ inputs.git_ref }}
   - name: install karpenter
     uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/install-karpenter
-    if: always() && inputs.create_cluster
     with:
       account_id: ${{ inputs.account_id  }}
       role: ${{ inputs.role }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-upgrade.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-upgrade.yaml
index f7669f8ad084..f5d4bf9aef78 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-upgrade.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-upgrade.yaml
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ jobs:
           ecr_region: ${{ vars.ECR_REGION }}
           prometheus_workspace_id: ${{ vars.WORKSPACE_ID }}
           prometheus_region: ${{ vars.PROMETHEUS_REGION }}
-          create_cluster: true
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           ref: ${{ inputs.to_git_ref }}
@@ -115,16 +114,6 @@ jobs:
           ecr_region: ${{ vars.ECR_REGION }}
           prometheus_workspace_id: ${{ vars.WORKSPACE_ID }}
           prometheus_region: ${{ vars.PROMETHEUS_REGION }}
-          create_cluster: false
-      - name: upgrade prometheus
-        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/install-prometheus
-        with:
-          account_id: ${{ vars.ACCOUNT_ID }}
-          role: ${{ vars.ROLE_NAME }}
-          region: ${{ vars.PROMETHEUS_REGION }}
-          cluster_name: ${{ steps.generate-cluster-name.outputs.CLUSTER_NAME }}
-          workspace_id: ${{ vars.WORKSPACE_ID }}
-          git_ref: ${{ inputs.to_git_ref }}
       - name: upgrade crds
         uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/upgrade-crds
         with:
@@ -133,16 +122,6 @@ jobs:
           region: ${{ inputs.region }}
           cluster_name: ${{ steps.generate-cluster-name.outputs.CLUSTER_NAME }}
           git_ref: ${{ inputs.to_git_ref }}
-      - name: upgrade karpenter
-        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/install-karpenter
-        with:
-          account_id: ${{ vars.ACCOUNT_ID }}
-          role: ${{ vars.ROLE_NAME }}
-          region: ${{ inputs.region }}
-          ecr_account_id: ${{ vars.ECR_ACCOUNT_ID }}
-          ecr_region: ${{ vars.ECR_REGION }}
-          cluster_name: ${{ steps.generate-cluster-name.outputs.CLUSTER_NAME }}
-          git_ref: ${{ inputs.to_git_ref }}
       - name: run the Upgrade test suite
         run: |
           aws eks update-kubeconfig --name ${{ steps.generate-cluster-name.outputs.CLUSTER_NAME }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
index e941edc114bc..237579da21ff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ jobs:
           ecr_region: ${{ vars.ECR_REGION }}
           prometheus_workspace_id: ${{ vars.WORKSPACE_ID }}
           prometheus_region: ${{ vars.PROMETHEUS_REGION }}
-          create_cluster: true
       - name: run the ${{ inputs.suite }} test suite
         run: |
           TEST_SUITE="${{ inputs.suite }}"