diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-upgrade.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-upgrade.yaml
index 0413fef27c91..cfb850fb67ad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-upgrade.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-upgrade.yaml
@@ -101,6 +101,14 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@9bb56186c3b09b4f86b1c65136769dd318469633 # v4.1.2
         with:
           ref: ${{ inputs.to_git_ref }}
+      - name: upgrade crds
+        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/upgrade-crds
+        with:
+          account_id: ${{ vars.CI_ACCOUNT_ID }}
+          role: ${{ vars.CI_ROLE_NAME }}
+          region: ${{ inputs.region }}
+          cluster_name: ${{ steps.generate-cluster-name.outputs.CLUSTER_NAME }}
+          git_ref: ${{ inputs.to_git_ref }}
       - name: upgrade eks cluster '${{ steps.generate-cluster-name.outputs.CLUSTER_NAME }}'
         uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/setup-cluster
         with:
@@ -116,14 +124,6 @@ jobs:
           ecr_region: ${{ vars.SNAPSHOT_REGION }}
           prometheus_workspace_id: ${{ vars.WORKSPACE_ID }}
           prometheus_region: ${{ vars.PROMETHEUS_REGION }}
-      - name: upgrade crds
-        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/upgrade-crds
-        with:
-          account_id: ${{ vars.CI_ACCOUNT_ID }}
-          role: ${{ vars.CI_ROLE_NAME }}
-          region: ${{ inputs.region }}
-          cluster_name: ${{ steps.generate-cluster-name.outputs.CLUSTER_NAME }}
-          git_ref: ${{ inputs.to_git_ref }}
       - name: run the Upgrade test suite
         run: |
           aws eks update-kubeconfig --name ${{ steps.generate-cluster-name.outputs.CLUSTER_NAME }}