diff --git a/test/e2e/cluster_config.sh b/test/e2e/cluster_config.sh
index 9bcee96c8f..8608927f88 100755
--- a/test/e2e/cluster_config.sh
+++ b/test/e2e/cluster_config.sh
@@ -16,10 +16,11 @@ clusters:
     apiserver_business_partner_ids: ${APISERVER_BUSINESS_PARTNER_IDS}
     etcd_s3_backup_bucket: zalando-kubernetes-etcd-${AWS_ACCOUNT}-${REGION}
     etcd_endpoints: "${ETCD_ENDPOINTS}"
+    etcd_additional_endpoints: "https://etcd-server.eu-central-1.teapot-e2e.zalan.do:2479"
     etcd_client_ca_cert: "${ETCD_CLIENT_CA_CERT}"
     etcd_client_ca_key: "${ETCD_CLIENT_CA_KEY}"
     etcd_scalyr_key: "${ETCD_SCALYR_KEY}"
-    etcd_dns_record_prefixes: "etcd-server.etcd"
+    etcd_dns_record_prefixes: "etcd-server.etcd,etcd-server.eu-central-1"
     docker_meta_url: https://docker-meta.stups-test.zalan.do
     vpa_enabled: "true"
     lightstep_token: "${LIGHTSTEP_TOKEN}"
diff --git a/test/e2e/run_e2e.sh b/test/e2e/run_e2e.sh
index b270ab6be6..bbfe239965 100755
--- a/test/e2e/run_e2e.sh
+++ b/test/e2e/run_e2e.sh
@@ -125,11 +125,15 @@ if [ "$create_cluster" = true ]; then
     "./cluster_config.sh" "${CDP_HEAD_COMMIT_ID}" "ready" > head_cluster.yaml
 
     # either copy the certificates from the already created cluster or regenerate them from scratch
-    if [ -f base_cluster.yaml ]; then
-      ./copy-certificates.py base_cluster.yaml head_cluster.yaml
-    else
-      aws-account-creator refresh-certificates --registry-file head_cluster.yaml --create-ca
-    fi
+    # NOTE: while migrating to region-based etcd, ensure certiciates are refreshed
+    # if [ -f base_cluster.yaml ]; then
+    #   ./copy-certificates.py base_cluster.yaml head_cluster.yaml
+    # else
+    aws-account-creator refresh-certificates --registry-file head_cluster.yaml --create-ca
+    # fi
+
+    echo "head_cluster.yaml:"
+    cat head_cluster.yaml
 
     # Update cluster
     echo "Updating cluster ${CLUSTER_ID}: ${API_SERVER_URL}"