diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index acac46a5d5..a4dfa5c6ad 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -351,12 +351,14 @@ kind-deploy: manifests
 .PHONY: kind-cluster
 kind-cluster: $(KIND) kind-verify-versions #EXHELP Standup a kind cluster.
 	-$(KIND) delete cluster --name $(KIND_CLUSTER_NAME)
+	./hack/setup-e2e-registry-config.sh
 	$(KIND) create cluster --name $(KIND_CLUSTER_NAME) --config ./kind-config.yaml
 	$(KIND) export kubeconfig --name $(KIND_CLUSTER_NAME)
 
 .PHONY: kind-clean
 kind-clean: $(KIND) #EXHELP Delete the kind cluster.
 	$(KIND) delete cluster --name $(KIND_CLUSTER_NAME)
+	./hack/cleanup-e2e-registry-config.sh
 
 .PHONY: kind-verify-versions
 kind-verify-versions:
diff --git a/hack/cleanup-e2e-registry-config.sh b/hack/cleanup-e2e-registry-config.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..f954bd342d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hack/cleanup-e2e-registry-config.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -o errexit
+set -o nounset
+set -o pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && pwd)"
+CERTS_DIR="${PROJECT_ROOT}/hack/kind-config/containerd/certs.d"
+
+REGISTRY_HOST="docker-registry.operator-controller-e2e.svc.cluster.local:5000"
+REGISTRY_DIR="${CERTS_DIR}/${REGISTRY_HOST}"
+
+echo "Cleaning up e2e registry configuration..."
+
+if [ -d "${REGISTRY_DIR}" ]; then
+    echo "Removing directory: ${REGISTRY_DIR}"
+    rm -rf "${REGISTRY_DIR}"
+    echo "E2E registry configuration cleanup complete."
+else
+    echo "Registry directory not found, nothing to clean."
+fi
diff --git a/hack/kind-config/containerd/certs.d/docker-registry.operator-controller-e2e.svc.cluster.local:5000/hosts.toml b/hack/kind-config/containerd/certs.d/docker-registry.operator-controller-e2e.svc.cluster.local:5000/hosts.toml
deleted file mode 100644
index b0a5eb47fc..0000000000
--- a/hack/kind-config/containerd/certs.d/docker-registry.operator-controller-e2e.svc.cluster.local:5000/hosts.toml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-[host."https://localhost:30000"]
-  capabilities = ["pull", "resolve"]
-  skip_verify = true
diff --git a/hack/setup-e2e-registry-config.sh b/hack/setup-e2e-registry-config.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..4d1d100ae6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hack/setup-e2e-registry-config.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -o errexit
+set -o nounset
+set -o pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && pwd)"
+CERTS_DIR="${PROJECT_ROOT}/hack/kind-config/containerd/certs.d"
+
+REGISTRY_HOST="docker-registry.operator-controller-e2e.svc.cluster.local:5000"
+REGISTRY_DIR="${CERTS_DIR}/${REGISTRY_HOST}"
+
+echo "Setting up e2e registry configuration..."
+echo "Creating directory: ${REGISTRY_DIR}"
+
+mkdir -p "${REGISTRY_DIR}"
+
+cat > "${REGISTRY_DIR}/hosts.toml" << 'EOF'
+[host."https://localhost:30000"]
+  capabilities = ["pull", "resolve"]
+  skip_verify = true
+EOF
+
+echo "Created ${REGISTRY_DIR}/hosts.toml"
+echo "E2E registry configuration setup complete."
diff --git a/scripts/install.tpl.sh b/scripts/install.tpl.sh
index 2ddf79856b..24a0f42e7f 100644
--- a/scripts/install.tpl.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.tpl.sh
@@ -108,6 +108,16 @@ if [ -f "${olmv1_manifest}" ]; then
 fi
 
 curl -L -s "${olmv1_manifest}" | sed "s/olmv1-system/${olmv1_namespace}/g" | kubectl apply -f -
+
+# Wait for registry to be available if it exists (for e2e tests)
+if kubectl get namespace operator-controller-e2e >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "Waiting for e2e registry to be available..."
+    if ! kubectl_wait "operator-controller-e2e" "deployment/docker-registry" "60s"; then
+        echo "Error: E2E registry is not ready, cannot proceed with deployment"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi
+
 # Wait for the rollout, and then wait for the deployment to be Available
 kubectl_wait_rollout "${olmv1_namespace}" "deployment/catalogd-controller-manager" "60s"
 kubectl_wait "${olmv1_namespace}" "deployment/catalogd-controller-manager" "60s"