diff --git a/tests/e2e/cluster_test.go b/tests/e2e/cluster_test.go
index 57663f2c51bf..29c32e4370c8 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/cluster_test.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/cluster_test.go
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ type etcdProcessClusterConfig struct {
 	initialToken        string
 	quotaBackendBytes   int64
 	noStrictReconfig    bool
+	enableV2            bool
 	initialCorruptCheck bool
 	authTokenOpts       string
 }
@@ -241,6 +242,9 @@ func (cfg *etcdProcessClusterConfig) etcdServerProcessConfigs() []*etcdServerPro
 		if cfg.noStrictReconfig {
 			args = append(args, "--strict-reconfig-check=false")
 		}
+		if cfg.enableV2 {
+			args = append(args, "--enable-v2")
+		}
 		if cfg.initialCorruptCheck {
 			args = append(args, "--experimental-initial-corrupt-check")
 		}
diff --git a/tests/e2e/ctl_v2_test.go b/tests/e2e/ctl_v2_test.go
index cbea2a3d85fb..d0cf6caf4a6a 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/ctl_v2_test.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/ctl_v2_test.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ func testCtlV2Set(t *testing.T, cfg *etcdProcessClusterConfig, quorum bool) {
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
+	cfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, cfg, quorum)
 	defer func() {
 		if errC := epc.Close(); errC != nil {
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ func testCtlV2Mk(t *testing.T, cfg *etcdProcessClusterConfig, quorum bool) {
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
+	cfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, cfg, quorum)
 	defer func() {
 		if errC := epc.Close(); errC != nil {
@@ -89,6 +91,7 @@ func testCtlV2Rm(t *testing.T, cfg *etcdProcessClusterConfig) {
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
+	cfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, cfg, true)
 	defer func() {
 		if errC := epc.Close(); errC != nil {
@@ -118,6 +121,7 @@ func testCtlV2Ls(t *testing.T, cfg *etcdProcessClusterConfig, quorum bool) {
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
+	cfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, cfg, quorum)
 	defer func() {
 		if errC := epc.Close(); errC != nil {
@@ -144,6 +148,7 @@ func testCtlV2Watch(t *testing.T, cfg *etcdProcessClusterConfig, noSync bool) {
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
+	cfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, cfg, true)
 	defer func() {
 		if errC := epc.Close(); errC != nil {
@@ -172,6 +177,7 @@ func TestCtlV2GetRoleUser(t *testing.T) {
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
+	cfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &configNoTLS, false)
 	defer func() {
 		if err := epc.Close(); err != nil {
@@ -207,6 +213,7 @@ func testCtlV2UserList(t *testing.T, username string) {
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
+	cfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &configNoTLS, false)
 	defer func() {
 		if err := epc.Close(); err != nil {
@@ -227,6 +234,7 @@ func TestCtlV2RoleList(t *testing.T) {
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
+	cfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &configNoTLS, false)
 	defer func() {
 		if err := epc.Close(); err != nil {
@@ -261,6 +269,7 @@ func testCtlV2Backup(t *testing.T, snapCount int, v3 bool) {
 
 	etcdCfg := configNoTLS
 	etcdCfg.snapshotCount = snapCount
+	etcdCfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc1 := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &etcdCfg, false)
 
 	// v3 put before v2 set so snapshot happens after v3 operations to confirm
@@ -293,6 +302,7 @@ func testCtlV2Backup(t *testing.T, snapCount int, v3 bool) {
 	cfg2.dataDirPath = backupDir
 	cfg2.keepDataDir = true
 	cfg2.forceNewCluster = true
+	cfg2.enableV2 = true
 	epc2 := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &cfg2, false)
 
 	// check if backup went through correctly
@@ -333,7 +343,7 @@ func TestCtlV2AuthWithCommonName(t *testing.T) {
 
 	copiedCfg := configClientTLS
 	copiedCfg.clientCertAuthEnabled = true
-
+	copiedCfg.enableV2 = true
 	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &copiedCfg, false)
 	defer func() {
 		if err := epc.Close(); err != nil {
@@ -368,7 +378,10 @@ func TestCtlV2ClusterHealth(t *testing.T) {
 	os.Setenv("ETCDCTL_API", "2")
 	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
-	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &configNoTLS, true)
+
+	copied := configNoTLS
+	copied.enableV2 = true
+	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &copied, true)
 	defer func() {
 		if err := epc.Close(); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("error closing etcd processes (%v)", err)