diff --git a/hack/e2e/eksctl.sh b/hack/e2e/eksctl.sh
index 18beff750d..e069ec9cd8 100644
--- a/hack/e2e/eksctl.sh
+++ b/hack/e2e/eksctl.sh
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ function eksctl_create_cluster() {
       --dry-run \
       "${CLUSTER_NAME}" > "${CLUSTER_FILE}"
 
-    eksctl_patch_cluster_file "$CLUSTER_FILE" "$EKSCTL_PATCH_FILE"
+    if test -f "$EKSCTL_PATCH_FILE"; then
+      eksctl_patch_cluster_file "$CLUSTER_FILE" "$EKSCTL_PATCH_FILE"
+    fi
 
     loudecho "Creating cluster $CLUSTER_NAME with $CLUSTER_FILE"
     ${BIN} create cluster -f "${CLUSTER_FILE}" --kubeconfig "${KUBECONFIG}"
diff --git a/hack/e2e/kops.sh b/hack/e2e/kops.sh
index 06fb856a31..f7fcb487a4 100644
--- a/hack/e2e/kops.sh
+++ b/hack/e2e/kops.sh
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ function kops_create_cluster() {
       -o json \
       "${CLUSTER_NAME}" > "${CLUSTER_FILE}"
 
-    kops_patch_cluster_file "$CLUSTER_FILE" "$KOPS_PATCH_FILE"
+    if test -f "$KOPS_PATCH_FILE"; then
+      kops_patch_cluster_file "$CLUSTER_FILE" "$KOPS_PATCH_FILE"
+    fi
 
     loudecho "Creating cluster $CLUSTER_NAME with $CLUSTER_FILE"
     ${BIN} create --state "${KOPS_STATE_FILE}" -f "${CLUSTER_FILE}"
diff --git a/hack/e2e/run.sh b/hack/e2e/run.sh
index 4507e6451e..fd1c7fef2f 100755
--- a/hack/e2e/run.sh
+++ b/hack/e2e/run.sh
@@ -138,14 +138,20 @@ fi
 
 loudecho "Deploying driver"
 startSec=$(date +'%s')
-"${HELM_BIN}" upgrade --install "${DRIVER_NAME}" \
-  --namespace kube-system \
-  --set image.repository="${IMAGE_NAME}" \
-  --set image.tag="${IMAGE_TAG}" \
-  -f "${HELM_VALUES_FILE}" \
-  --wait \
-  --kubeconfig "${KUBECONFIG}" \
-  ./charts/"${DRIVER_NAME}"
+
+HELM_ARGS=(upgrade --install "${DRIVER_NAME}"
+  --namespace kube-system
+  --set image.repository="${IMAGE_NAME}"
+  --set image.tag="${IMAGE_TAG}"
+  --wait
+  --kubeconfig "${KUBECONFIG}"
+  ./charts/"${DRIVER_NAME}")
+if test -f "$HELM_VALUES_FILE"; then
+  HELM_ARGS+=(-f "${HELM_VALUES_FILE}")
+fi
+set -x
+"${HELM_BIN}" "${HELM_ARGS[@]}"
+set +x
 
 if [[ -r "${EBS_SNAPSHOT_CRD}" ]]; then
   loudecho "Deploying snapshot CRD"