diff --git a/.github/actions/e2e/install-karpenter/action.yaml b/.github/actions/e2e/install-karpenter/action.yaml
index aaafc680545a..1c28eae5f986 100644
--- a/.github/actions/e2e/install-karpenter/action.yaml
+++ b/.github/actions/e2e/install-karpenter/action.yaml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ runs:
       aws eks update-kubeconfig --name "${{ inputs.cluster_name }}"
       helm upgrade --install karpenter oci://public.ecr.aws/karpenter/karpenter \
         -n karpenter \
-        --version "v0-$(git rev-parse HEAD)" \
+        --version v0.29.2 \
         --set serviceAccount.annotations."eks\.amazonaws\.com/role-arn"="arn:aws:iam::${{ inputs.account_id }}:role/karpenter-irsa-${{ inputs.cluster_name }}" \
         --set settings.aws.clusterName="${{ inputs.cluster_name }}" \
         --set settings.aws.defaultInstanceProfile="KarpenterNodeInstanceProfile-${{ inputs.cluster_name }}" \
@@ -64,5 +64,5 @@ runs:
     run: |
       helm diff upgrade --namespace karpenter \
         karpenter oci://public.ecr.aws/karpenter/karpenter \
-        --version v0-$(git rev-parse HEAD) \
+        --version v0.29.2 \
         --reuse-values --three-way-merge --detailed-exitcode
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/e2e/install-prometheus/values.yaml b/.github/actions/e2e/install-prometheus/values.yaml
index 0b7fa6985574..b559e748be38 100644
--- a/.github/actions/e2e/install-prometheus/values.yaml
+++ b/.github/actions/e2e/install-prometheus/values.yaml
@@ -26,30 +26,14 @@ alertmanager:
     tolerations:
       - key: CriticalAddonsOnly
         operator: Exists
-kubelet:
-  serviceMonitor:
-    additionalLabels:
-      scrape: enabled
-prometheus:
-  prometheusSpec:
-    tolerations:
-      - key: CriticalAddonsOnly
-        operator: Exists
-    resources:
-      requests:
-        cpu: 1
-        memory: 5Gi
-      limits:
-        cpu: 1
-        memory: 5Gi
-    serviceMonitorSelector:
-      matchLabels:
-        scrape: enabled
-    serviceMonitorNamespaceSelector:
-      matchLabels:
-        scrape: enabled
-    remoteWrite:
-      - queueConfig:
-          maxSamplesPerSend: 1000
-          maxShards: 200
-          capacity: 2500
\ No newline at end of file
+extraScrapeConfigs: |
+    - job_name: karpenter
+      kubernetes_sd_configs:
+      - role: endpoints
+        namespaces:
+          names:
+          - karpenter
+      relabel_configs:
+      - source_labels: [__meta_kubernetes_endpoint_port_name]
+        regex: http-metrics
+        action: keep
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-soak-trigger.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-soak-trigger.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..19c15ad41017
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-soak-trigger.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+name: E2ESoakTrigger
+on:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '0 */1 * * *'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+jobs:       
+  soak:
+    # if: github.repository == 'aws/karpenter' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/e2e-soak.yaml
+    with:
+      event_name: ${{ github.event_name }}
+    secrets:
+      SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-soak.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-soak.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9d4ebab854f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-soak.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+name: E2ESoak
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      git_ref:
+        type: string
+      region:
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - "us-east-2"
+          - "us-west-2"
+        default: "us-east-2"
+      k8s_version:
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - "1.23"
+          - "1.24"
+          - "1.25"
+          - "1.26"
+          - "1.27"
+        default: "1.27"
+      enable_metrics:
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      git_ref:
+        type: string
+      region:
+        type: string
+        default: "us-east-2"
+      event_name:
+        type: string
+        required: true
+      k8s_version:
+        type: string
+        default: "1.27"
+      enable_metrics:
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
+    secrets:
+      SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL:
+        required: true
+permissions:
+  id-token: write # This is required for requesting the JWT
+  contents: read  # This is required for actions/checkout
+  statuses: write
+jobs:
+  run-suite:
+    name: suite-Soak
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ inputs.git_ref }}
+      - name: configure aws credentials
+        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v2
+        with:
+          role-to-assume: arn:aws:iam::${{ vars.ACCOUNT_ID }}:role/${{ vars.ROLE_NAME }}
+          aws-region: ${{ inputs.region }}
+          role-duration-seconds: 21600
+      - uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/install-eksctl
+        with:
+          eksctl_version: v0.147.0
+      - name: find preexisting cluster
+        run: |
+          export PREEXISTING=$(eksctl get cluster -o json | jq '.[].Name' | grep soak)
+          echo "Found existing cluster name \"$PREEXISTING\""
+          echo PREEXISTING=$PREEXISTING >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - name: generate cluster name
+        if: env.PREEXISTING == ''
+        run: |
+          CLUSTER_NAME=$(echo Soak-$RANDOM$RANDOM | awk '{print tolower($0)}')
+          echo "Using cluster name \"$CLUSTER_NAME\""
+          echo CLUSTER_NAME=$CLUSTER_NAME >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - name: create eks cluster '${{ env.CLUSTER_NAME }}'
+        if: env.PREEXISTING == ''
+        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/create-cluster
+        with:
+          account_id: ${{ vars.ACCOUNT_ID }}
+          role: ${{ vars.ROLE_NAME }}
+          region: ${{ inputs.region }}
+          cluster_name: ${{ env.CLUSTER_NAME }}
+          k8s_version: ${{ inputs.k8s_version }}
+          ip_family: 'IPv4'
+          git_ref: ${{ inputs.git_ref }}
+      - name: install prometheus
+        if: env.PREEXISTING == ''
+        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/install-prometheus
+        with:
+          account_id: ${{ vars.ACCOUNT_ID }}
+          role: ${{ vars.ROLE_NAME }}
+          region: ${{ vars.PROMETHEUS_REGION }}
+          cluster_name: ${{ env.CLUSTER_NAME }}
+          workspace_id: ${{ vars.WORKSPACE_ID }}
+          git_ref: ${{ inputs.git_ref }}
+      - name: install karpenter
+        if: env.PREEXISTING == ''
+        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/install-karpenter
+        with:
+          account_id: ${{ vars.ACCOUNT_ID }}
+          role: ${{ vars.ROLE_NAME }}
+          region: ${{ inputs.region }}
+          cluster_name: ${{ env.CLUSTER_NAME }}
+          git_ref: ${{ inputs.git_ref }}
+      - name: run the ${{ inputs.suite }} test suite
+        if: ${{ env.PREEXISTING }} != ""
+        run: |c
+          aws eks update-kubeconfig --name ${{ env.PREEXISTING }}
+          TEST_SUITE="Soak" ENABLE_METRICS=${{ inputs.enable_metrics }} METRICS_REGION=${{ vars.TIMESTREAM_REGION }} GIT_REF="$(git rev-parse HEAD)" make e2etests
+      - name: run the ${{ inputs.suite }} test suite
+        if: ${{ env.PREEXISTING }} == ""
+        run: |
+          aws eks update-kubeconfig --name ${{ env.CLUSTER_NAME }}
+          TEST_SUITE="Soak" ENABLE_METRICS=${{ inputs.enable_metrics }} METRICS_REGION=${{ vars.TIMESTREAM_REGION }} GIT_REF="$(git rev-parse HEAD)" make e2etests
+      - name: notify slack of success or failure
+        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/slack/notify
+        if: (success() || failure()) && inputs.event_name != 'workflow_run' && inputs.event_name != 'conformance'
+        with:
+          url: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL }}
+          suite: Soak
+          k8s_version: ${{ inputs.k8s_version }}
+          event_name: ${{ inputs.event_name }}
+          git_ref: ${{ inputs.git_ref }}
+      - name: dump logs on failure
+        uses: ./.github/actions/e2e/dump-logs
+        if: failure() || cancelled()
+        with:
+          account_id: ${{ vars.ACCOUNT_ID }}
+          role: ${{ vars.ROLE_NAME }}
+          region: ${{ inputs.region }}
+          cluster_name: ${{ env.CLUSTER_NAME }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/charts/karpenter/templates/deployment.yaml b/charts/karpenter/templates/deployment.yaml
index d982cc122062..de26dfaa267f 100644
--- a/charts/karpenter/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/charts/karpenter/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ spec:
           image: {{ include "karpenter.controller.image" . }}
           imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.imagePullPolicy }}
           env:
+            - name: ENABLE_PROFILING
+              value: "true"
             - name: KUBERNETES_MIN_VERSION
               value: "1.19.0-0"
             - name: KARPENTER_SERVICE
diff --git a/test/cloudformation/iam_cloudformation.yaml b/test/cloudformation/iam_cloudformation.yaml
index f3bebd59fd0e..da001579058d 100644
--- a/test/cloudformation/iam_cloudformation.yaml
+++ b/test/cloudformation/iam_cloudformation.yaml
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ Resources:
             Resource: "*"
           - Effect: Allow
             Action:
+              - eks:ListClusters
               - eks:CreateCluster
               - eks:CreateAddon
               - eks:CreateNodegroup
diff --git a/test/pkg/environment/common/setup.go b/test/pkg/environment/common/setup.go
index 8cf21c6b5d64..da85856b035b 100644
--- a/test/pkg/environment/common/setup.go
+++ b/test/pkg/environment/common/setup.go
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ func (env *Environment) ExpectCleanCluster() {
 	var nodes v1.NodeList
 	Expect(env.Client.List(env.Context, &nodes)).To(Succeed())
 	for _, node := range nodes.Items {
+		fmt.Println(node.Name)
 		if len(node.Spec.Taints) == 0 && !node.Spec.Unschedulable {
 			Fail(fmt.Sprintf("expected system pool node %s to be tainted", node.Name))
 		}
diff --git a/test/suites/soak/suite_test.go b/test/suites/soak/suite_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..073d313615fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/suites/soak/suite_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+/*
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package soak_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"math/rand"
+	"os"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/aws/karpenter-core/pkg/apis/v1alpha5"
+	"github.com/aws/karpenter-core/pkg/test"
+	nodeutils "github.com/aws/karpenter-core/pkg/utils/node"
+	"github.com/aws/karpenter/pkg/apis/settings"
+	"github.com/aws/karpenter/pkg/apis/v1alpha1"
+	awstest "github.com/aws/karpenter/pkg/test"
+	"github.com/aws/karpenter/test/pkg/debug"
+	"github.com/aws/karpenter/test/pkg/environment/aws"
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+	"github.com/samber/lo"
+	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/informers"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+
+	awssdk "github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
+)
+
+var env *aws.Environment
+
+func TestSoak(t *testing.T) {
+	RegisterFailHandler(Fail)
+	BeforeSuite(func() {
+		env = aws.NewEnvironment(t)
+		SetDefaultEventuallyTimeout(time.Hour)
+	})
+	RunSpecs(t, "Soak")
+}
+
+var _ = BeforeEach(func() { env.BeforeEach() })
+var _ = AfterEach(func() { env.Cleanup() })
+var _ = AfterEach(func() { env.AfterEach() })
+
+var _ = Describe("Soak", func() {
+	It("should ", Label(debug.NoWatch), Label(debug.NoEvents), func() {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(env.Context)
+		defer cancel()
+
+		content, err := os.ReadFile("testdata/user.sh")
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		provider := awstest.AWSNodeTemplate(v1alpha1.AWSNodeTemplateSpec{AWS: v1alpha1.AWS{
+			SecurityGroupSelector: map[string]string{"karpenter.sh/discovery": settings.FromContext(env.Context).ClusterName},
+			SubnetSelector:        map[string]string{"karpenter.sh/discovery": settings.FromContext(env.Context).ClusterName},
+		},
+			UserData: awssdk.String(string(content)),
+		})
+		provisioner := test.Provisioner(test.ProvisionerOptions{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name: "sock-test-provisioner",
+			},
+			Requirements: []v1.NodeSelectorRequirement{
+				{
+					Key:      v1alpha5.LabelCapacityType,
+					Operator: v1.NodeSelectorOpIn,
+					Values:   []string{v1alpha5.CapacityTypeSpot},
+				},
+			},
+			Consolidation: &v1alpha5.Consolidation{
+				Enabled: lo.ToPtr(true),
+			},
+			ProviderRef: &v1alpha5.MachineTemplateRef{Name: provider.Name},
+		})
+		numPods := 0
+		dep := test.Deployment(test.DeploymentOptions{
+			Replicas: int32(numPods),
+			PodOptions: test.PodOptions{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Labels: map[string]string{"app": "my-app"},
+				},
+				TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: lo.ToPtr[int64](0),
+			},
+		})
+
+		dep.Spec.Template.Spec.Affinity = &v1.Affinity{
+			PodAntiAffinity: &v1.PodAntiAffinity{
+				RequiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution: []v1.PodAffinityTerm{
+					{
+						LabelSelector: dep.Spec.Selector,
+						TopologyKey:   v1.LabelHostname,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+
+		// Create a deployment with a single pod
+		env.ExpectCreated(provider, provisioner, dep)
+		startNodeCountMonitor(ctx, env.Client)
+		time.Sleep(time.Second * 10)
+
+		Consistently(func(g Gomega) {
+			dep.Spec.Replicas = awssdk.Int32(int32(rand.Intn(100) + 1))
+			env.ExpectCreatedOrUpdated(dep)
+			time.Sleep(time.Minute * 5)
+			dep.Spec.Replicas = awssdk.Int32(0)
+			env.ExpectCreatedOrUpdated(dep)
+			time.Sleep(time.Second * 30)
+		}, time.Hour*2).Should(Succeed())
+		env.ExpectDeleted(provisioner, provider, dep)
+	})
+})
+
+func startNodeCountMonitor(ctx context.Context, kubeClient client.Client) {
+	createdNodes := atomic.Int64{}
+	deletedNodes := atomic.Int64{}
+
+	factory := informers.NewSharedInformerFactoryWithOptions(env.KubeClient, time.Second*30,
+		informers.WithTweakListOptions(func(l *metav1.ListOptions) { l.LabelSelector = v1alpha5.ProvisionerNameLabelKey }))
+	nodeInformer := factory.Core().V1().Nodes().Informer()
+	nodeInformer.AddEventHandler(cache.ResourceEventHandlerFuncs{
+		AddFunc: func(_ interface{}) {
+			createdNodes.Add(1)
+		},
+		DeleteFunc: func(_ interface{}) {
+			deletedNodes.Add(1)
+		},
+	})
+	factory.Start(ctx.Done())
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			list := &v1.NodeList{}
+			if err := kubeClient.List(ctx, list, client.HasLabels{test.DiscoveryLabel}); err == nil {
+				readyCount := lo.CountBy(list.Items, func(n v1.Node) bool {
+					return nodeutils.GetCondition(&n, v1.NodeReady).Status == v1.ConditionTrue
+				})
+				fmt.Printf("[NODE COUNT] CURRENT: %d | READY: %d | CREATED: %d | DELETED: %d\n", len(list.Items), readyCount, createdNodes.Load(), deletedNodes.Load())
+			}
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
+			case <-time.After(time.Second * 5):
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+}
diff --git a/test/suites/soak/testdata/user.sh b/test/suites/soak/testdata/user.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5af30bdf1ef5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/suites/soak/testdata/user.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+MIME-Version: 1.0
+Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="BOUNDARY"
+
+--BOUNDARY
+Content-Type: text/x-shellscript; charset="us-ascii"
+
+#!/bin/bash
+mkdir -p /etc/systemd/logind.conf.d
+cat << EOF > /etc/systemd/logind.conf.d/50-max-delay.conf
+[Login]
+InhibitDelayMaxSec=360
+EOF
+
+systemctl restart systemd-logind
+
+sed -i '/"apiVersion*/a \ \ "shutdownGracePeriod": "3m",' /etc/kubernetes/kubelet/kubelet-config.json
+sed -i '/"shutdownGracePeriod*/a \ \ "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods": "2m",' /etc/kubernetes/kubelet/kubelet-config.json
+
+--BOUNDARY
+Content-Type: text/x-shellscript; charset="us-ascii"
+
+#!/bin/bash
+exec > >(tee /var/log/user-data.log|logger -t user-data -s 2>/dev/console) 2>&1
+
+
+echo $(jq '.containerLogMaxFiles=3|.containerLogMaxSize="100Mi"' /etc/kubernetes/kubelet/kubelet-config.json) > /etc/kubernetes/kubelet/kubelet-config.json
+
+--BOUNDARY--
\ No newline at end of file