diff --git a/e2e/docker-compose.yml b/e2e/docker-compose.yml
index e738b498e..8e474adf0 100644
--- a/e2e/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/e2e/docker-compose.yml
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ services:
         docker network connect kind $$(hostname) # self contain
         docker network connect e2e_default sshpipertest-control-plane
         kind export kubeconfig -n sshpipertest --internal
-        kind load docker-image -n sshpipertest e2e_piper-imageonly 
-        kubectl wait --for=condition=ready pod -A --all --timeout=2m
+        kubectl wait --for=condition=ready pod -n kube-system --all --timeout=2m
         kubectl delete -f /kubernetes/crd.yaml --force --ignore-not-found
         kubectl delete -f /kubernetes/workload.yaml --force --ignore-not-found
         set -e
+        kind load docker-image -n sshpipertest sshpiper-test-image
         kubectl wait --for=delete pod --all --timeout=2m # ensure no leftover
         kubectl apply -f /kubernetes/crd.yaml
         kubectl apply -f /kubernetes/workload.yaml
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ services:
       - SSHPIPERD_LOG_LEVEL=trace
       - SSHPIPERD_E2E_TEST=1
       - SSHPIPERD_DEBUG=${SSHPIPERD_DEBUG}
+      - DOCKER_API_VERSION=1.40
     build: 
       context: ../
       target: builder
@@ -108,7 +109,8 @@ services:
   piper-imageonly:
     environment:
       - SSHPIPERD_LOG_LEVEL=trace
-    build: ../      
+    build: ../
+    image: sshpiper-test-image
 
 volumes:
   shared:
diff --git a/e2e/k8sworkload.yaml b/e2e/k8sworkload.yaml
index e77bab9a1..c5c06bec6 100644
--- a/e2e/k8sworkload.yaml
+++ b/e2e/k8sworkload.yaml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ spec:
       containers:
       - name: sshpiper
         imagePullPolicy: Never
-        image: e2e_piper-imageonly
+        image: sshpiper-test-image
         ports:
         - containerPort: 2222
         env: