diff --git a/acceptance/features/decommissioning.feature b/acceptance/features/decommissioning.feature
index e13c3648e..b83d7a89c 100644
--- a/acceptance/features/decommissioning.feature
+++ b/acceptance/features/decommissioning.feature
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ Feature: Decommissioning brokers
     When I physically shutdown a kubernetes node for cluster "decommissioning"
     And cluster "decommissioning" is unhealthy
     And cluster "decommissioning" has only 2 remaining nodes
-    And I prune any kubernetes node that is now in a NotReady status
+    And I prune kubernetes node that was removed in previous step
     Then cluster "decommissioning" should recover
     And cluster "decommissioning" should be stable with 3 nodes
diff --git a/acceptance/steps/cluster.go b/acceptance/steps/cluster.go
index 226afb186..b169d660a 100644
--- a/acceptance/steps/cluster.go
+++ b/acceptance/steps/cluster.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func checkClusterHealthCondition(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT, clus
 	t.Logf("Cluster %q contains Healthy reason %q!", clusterName, reason)
 }
 
-func shutdownRandomClusterNode(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT, clusterName string) {
+func shutdownRandomClusterNode(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT, clusterName string) context.Context {
 	var clusterSet appsv1.StatefulSet
 
 	key := t.ResourceKey(clusterName)
@@ -164,9 +164,10 @@ func shutdownRandomClusterNode(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT, cluste
 	pod := pods.Items[index]
 
 	t.ShutdownNode(ctx, pod.Spec.NodeName)
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, recordedVariable("ShutdownNodeName"), pod.Spec.NodeName)
 }
 
-func shutdownNodeOfPod(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT, podName string) {
+func shutdownNodeOfPod(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT, podName string) context.Context {
 	t.ResourceKey(podName)
 
 	var pod corev1.Pod
@@ -183,6 +184,7 @@ func shutdownNodeOfPod(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT, podName string
 	require.NoError(t, t.Update(ctx, &node))
 
 	t.ShutdownNode(ctx, pod.Spec.NodeName)
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, recordedVariable("ShutdownNodeName"), pod.Spec.NodeName)
 }
 
 func deleteNotReadyKubernetesNodes(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT) {
@@ -198,6 +200,12 @@ func deleteNotReadyKubernetesNodes(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT) {
 	}
 }
 
+func deleteKubernetesNodesFromContext(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT) {
+	shutdownNodeName := ctx.Value(recordedVariable("ShutdownNodeName"))
+	t.Logf("Deleting Kubernetes node: %q", shutdownNodeName)
+	t.DeleteNode(ctx, shutdownNodeName.(string))
+}
+
 func checkClusterNodeCount(ctx context.Context, t framework.TestingT, clusterName string, nodeCount int32) {
 	var cluster redpandav1alpha2.Redpanda
 	var actualNodeCount int32
diff --git a/acceptance/steps/register.go b/acceptance/steps/register.go
index 4b0949a1f..969be40e3 100644
--- a/acceptance/steps/register.go
+++ b/acceptance/steps/register.go
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ func init() {
 	framework.RegisterStep(`^I prune any kubernetes node that is now in a NotReady status$`, deleteNotReadyKubernetesNodes)
 	framework.RegisterStep(`I stop the Node running Pod "([^"]+)"`, shutdownNodeOfPod)
 	framework.RegisterStep(`^cluster "([^"]*)" has only (\d+) remaining nodes$`, checkClusterNodeCount)
+	framework.RegisterStep(`^I prune kubernetes node that was removed in previous step$`, deleteKubernetesNodesFromContext)
 
 	// Operator upgrade scenario steps
 	framework.RegisterStep(`^I install local CRDs from "([^"]*)"`, iInstallLocalCRDs)