diff --git a/.github/workflows/cloud-tests-filter.yml b/.github/workflows/cloud-tests-filter.yml
index dd6eca1628..0d2ef661ec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cloud-tests-filter.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cloud-tests-filter.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ jobs:
                 - 'pkg/**/!(*_test.go)'
                 - 'internal/**/!(*_test.go)'
                 - 'Dockerfile'
-                - 'test/e2e/**'
+                - 'test/kind/**'
                 - 'test/int/**'
         # run only if 'production-code' files were changed
         - name: Production code changed
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-e2e-gov.yml b/.github/workflows/test-e2e-gov.yml
index bfff6464da..854c8eb353 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-e2e-gov.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-e2e-gov.yml
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           devbox run -- '
           GOWORK=off &&
-          cd test/e2e &&
+          cd test/kind/inprocess &&
           ginkgo labels &&
-          echo "Running: AKO_E2E_TEST=1 ginkgo --label-filter=\"atlas-gov\" --timeout 120m --nodes=10 --flake-attempts=1 --randomize-all --race --cover --v --trace --show-nodes-events --output-interceptor-mode=none" &&
-          AKO_E2E_TEST=1 ginkgo --label-filter="atlas-gov" --timeout 120m --nodes=10 --flake-attempts=1 --randomize-all --race --cover --v --trace --show-node-events --output-interceptor-mode=none --coverpkg=github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/pkg/...'
+          echo "Running: AKO_KIND_TEST=1 ginkgo --label-filter=\"atlas-gov\" --timeout 120m --nodes=10 --flake-attempts=1 --randomize-all --race --cover --v --trace --show-nodes-events --output-interceptor-mode=none" &&
+          AKO_KIND_TEST=1 ginkgo --label-filter="atlas-gov" --timeout 120m --nodes=10 --flake-attempts=1 --randomize-all --race --cover --v --trace --show-node-events --output-interceptor-mode=none --coverpkg=github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/pkg/...'
       - name: Upload operator logs
         if: ${{ failure() }}
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
@@ -55,6 +55,6 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ success() }}
         uses: codecov/codecov-action@v5
         with:
-          files: test/e2e/coverprofile.out
+          files: test/kind/inprocess/coverprofile.out
           name: ${{ matrix.test }}
           verbose: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/test-e2e.yml
index 6bda565c62..42432e3a23 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-e2e.yml
@@ -159,9 +159,6 @@ jobs:
             "encryption-at-rest",
             "free-tier",
             "global-deployment",
-            "helm-ns",
-            "helm-update",
-            "helm-wide",
             "integration-ns",
             "long-run",
             "multinamespaced",
@@ -280,6 +277,6 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ success() }}
         uses: codecov/codecov-action@v5
         with:
-          files: test/e2e/coverprofile.out
+          files: test/kind/inprocess/coverprofile.out
           name: ${{ matrix.test }}
           verbose: true
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 981ef2cfb1..da85ba7d4a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ tags
 testbin/
 
 # don't include generated files from e2e tests
-test/e2e/data/
-test/e2e/output/
+test/kind/inprocess/data/
+test/kind/inprocess/output/
 
 node_modules
 tmp/
diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index fec8b28ce0..dc4c1b6440 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ issues:
       linters:
         - gochecknoglobals
         - wrapcheck
-    - path: test/e2e
+    - path: test/kind
       linters:
         - stylecheck
         - noctx
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 10f99256a2..58f6382066 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ ifndef TARGET_OS
 TARGET_OS := $(shell go env GOOS)
 endif
 
-GO_UNIT_TEST_FOLDERS=$(shell go list ./... |grep -v 'test/int\|test/e2e')
+GO_UNIT_TEST_FOLDERS=$(shell go list ./... |grep -v 'test/int\|test/kind')
 
 # DEFAULT_CHANNEL defines the default channel used in the bundle.
 # Add a new line here if you would like to change its default config. (E.g DEFAULT_CHANNEL = "stable")
@@ -198,10 +198,17 @@ envtest: envtest-assets
 envtest-assets:
 	mkdir -p $(ENVTEST_ASSETS_DIR)
 
-.PHONY: e2e
-e2e: run-kind ## Run e2e test. Command `make e2e label=cluster-ns` run cluster-ns test
+.PHONY: kind-tests
+kind-tests: run-kind ## Run kind-tests test. Command `make kind-helm label=cluster-ns` run cluster-ns test
 	./scripts/e2e_local.sh $(label) $(build)
 
+.PHONY: e2e
+e2e: kind-tests ## kind-tests alias
+
+.PHONY: kind-helm
+kind-helm: run-kind ## Run kind-helm tests. Command `make kind-helm label=helm-ns` run `helm-ns` test
+	AKO_KIND_HELM_TEST=1 ginkgo --race --label-filter="${label}" --timeout 120m -vv test/kind/helm
+
 .PHONY: e2e-openshift-upgrade
 e2e-openshift-upgrade:
 	cd scripts && ./openshift-upgrade-test.sh
diff --git a/docs/testing.md b/docs/testing.md
index 8a89938ba1..daba372333 100644
--- a/docs/testing.md
+++ b/docs/testing.md
@@ -149,14 +149,14 @@ Test code can be further decomposed into:
 
 - **Unit tests**, which can be run by simply doing `go test ./...` and should always succeed without any preparations.
 	- Still you should normally use `make unit-test` so that default flags such as race detection and coverage are also included.
-	- Includes all `*_test.go` files, tests on `test/int/` and `test/e2e/` folders will be skipped by default.
-- **Non-unit tests requiring a setup**, such as **integration** and **e2e** tests, live under the `test/` folder and need to be invoked with a explicit *environment variable*, such as `AKO_INT_TEST=1` for integration tests or `AKO_E2E_TEST=1` for e2e tests. In short: 
+	- Includes all `*_test.go` files, tests on `test/int/` and `test/kind/` folders will be skipped by default.
+- **Non-unit tests requiring a setup**, such as **integration** and **e2e** tests, live under the `test/` folder and need to be invoked with a explicit *environment variable*, such as `AKO_INT_TEST=1` for integration tests or `AKO_KIND_TEST=1` for e2e tests. In short: 
 	- Run **integration tests** with `make int-test label=...`, using a label to limit the tests to be run.
 	- Run **e2e tests** with `make e2e label=...`.
 	- Note you will need to load extra environment variables, including credentials, to be able to run most of these tests.
-	- Includes files under `test/int/` and `test/e2e/` folders.
+	- Includes files under `test/int/` and `test/kind/` folders.
 - **Helper test code** is code used by unit and non-unit tests code which is not part of the production code. For example, mocks and helpers used to make tests easier to write, more succinct and reliable.
 	- Such test code might include its own unit tests that will run as any other unit test via `go test ./...` or `make unit-test`.
 	- Note this code requires no build tags, as it is only imported by `*_test.go` code it will not become part of the imported production code.
-	- Includes basically any **non** `*_test.go` under `test/` excluding `test/int/` and `test/e2e/` folders, such as `test/atlas/` mocks.
-	- For historical reasons, many helpers are today under the `test/e2e` folder. The plan it to move them to `test/helper` or some other folder under `test/`, so that their unit tests, if any,  will always be run by default.
+	- Includes basically any **non** `*_test.go` under `test/` excluding `test/int/` and `test/kind/` folders, such as `test/atlas/` mocks.
+	- For historical reasons, many helpers are today under the `test/kind` folder. The plan it to move them to `test/helper` or some other folder under `test/`, so that their unit tests, if any,  will always be run by default.
diff --git a/scripts/e2e_local.sh b/scripts/e2e_local.sh
index c8ee2c2960..f40043815a 100755
--- a/scripts/e2e_local.sh
+++ b/scripts/e2e_local.sh
@@ -41,4 +41,4 @@ export MCLI_PUBLIC_API_KEY="${MCLI_PUBLIC_API_KEY:-$public_key}"
 export MCLI_PRIVATE_API_KEY="${MCLI_PRIVATE_API_KEY:-$private_key}"
 export MCLI_ORG_ID="${MCLI_ORG_ID:-$org_id}"
 export IMAGE_URL="${image}" #for helm chart
-AKO_E2E_TEST=1 ginkgo --race --label-filter="${focus_key}" --timeout 120m -vv test/e2e/
+AKO_KIND_TEST=1 ginkgo --race --label-filter="${focus_key}" --timeout 120m -vv test/kind/inprocess/
diff --git a/scripts/launch-ci-e2e.sh b/scripts/launch-ci-e2e.sh
index 081a94bad6..062299daad 100755
--- a/scripts/launch-ci-e2e.sh
+++ b/scripts/launch-ci-e2e.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 helm version
 go version
-cd test/e2e
+cd test/kind/inprocess
 
 # no `long-run`, no `broken` tests. `Long-run` tests run as a separate job
 if [[ $TEST_NAME == "long-run" ]]; then
@@ -13,5 +13,5 @@ else
 	filter="$TEST_NAME && !long-run && !broken";
 fi
 
-AKO_E2E_TEST=1 ginkgo --output-interceptor-mode=none --label-filter="${filter}" --timeout 120m --nodes=10 \
+AKO_KIND_TEST=1 ginkgo --output-interceptor-mode=none --label-filter="${filter}" --timeout 120m --nodes=10 \
   --flake-attempts=1 --race --cover --v --coverpkg=github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/pkg/...
diff --git a/test/e2e/helm_chart_test.go b/test/kind/helm/helm_chart_test.go
similarity index 97%
rename from test/e2e/helm_chart_test.go
rename to test/kind/helm/helm_chart_test.go
index bc56d27d6b..7598d0c5a7 100644
--- a/test/e2e/helm_chart_test.go
+++ b/test/kind/helm/helm_chart_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/test/helper/e2e/actions"
 	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/test/helper/e2e/actions/kube"
-	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/test/helper/e2e/cli"
 	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/test/helper/e2e/cli/helm"
 	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/test/helper/e2e/config"
 	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/test/helper/e2e/k8s"
@@ -24,14 +23,6 @@ var _ = Describe("HELM charts", Ordered, func() {
 	var data model.TestDataProvider
 	skipped := false
 
-	_ = BeforeAll(func() {
-		cli.Execute("kubectl", "delete", "--ignore-not-found=true", "-f", "../../deploy/crds").Wait().Out.Contents()
-	})
-
-	_ = AfterAll(func() {
-		cli.Execute("kubectl", "apply", "-f", "../../deploy/crds").Wait().Out.Contents()
-	})
-
 	_ = BeforeEach(func() {
 		imageURL := os.Getenv("IMAGE_URL")
 		Expect(imageURL).ShouldNot(BeEmpty(), "SetUP IMAGE_URL")
diff --git a/test/kind/helm/helm_suite_test.go b/test/kind/helm/helm_suite_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36ddb87d5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/kind/helm/helm_suite_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package e2e_test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+
+	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/test/helper/control"
+	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/v2/test/helper/e2e/api/atlas"
+)
+
+const (
+	EventuallyTimeout   = 100 * time.Second
+	ConsistentlyTimeout = 1 * time.Second
+	PollingInterval     = 10 * time.Second
+)
+
+var (
+	atlasClient *atlas.Atlas
+)
+
+func TestE2e(t *testing.T) {
+	control.SkipTestUnless(t, "AKO_KIND_HELM_TEST")
+
+	RegisterFailHandler(Fail)
+	RunSpecs(t, "Atlas Operator Helm on Kind Test Suite")
+}
+
+var _ = BeforeSuite(func() {
+	if !control.Enabled("AKO_KIND_HELM_TEST") {
+		fmt.Println("Skipping helm on kind BeforeSuite, AKO_KIND_HELM_TEST is not set")
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	GinkgoWriter.Write([]byte("==============================Before==============================\n"))
+	SetDefaultEventuallyTimeout(EventuallyTimeout)
+	SetDefaultEventuallyPollingInterval(PollingInterval)
+	SetDefaultConsistentlyDuration(ConsistentlyTimeout)
+	GinkgoWriter.Write([]byte("========================End of Before==============================\n"))
+})
+
+var _ = ReportAfterSuite("Ensure test suite was not empty", func(r Report) {
+	Expect(r.PreRunStats.SpecsThatWillRun > 0).To(BeTrue(), "Suite must run at least 1 test")
+})
diff --git a/test/e2e/alert_config_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/alert_config_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/alert_config_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/alert_config_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/annotations_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/annotations_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/annotations_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/annotations_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/atlas_gov_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/atlas_gov_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/atlas_gov_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/atlas_gov_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/auditing_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/auditing_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/auditing_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/auditing_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/backup_compliance_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/backup_compliance_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/backup_compliance_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/backup_compliance_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/backup_config_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/backup_config_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/backup_config_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/backup_config_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/bundle_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/bundle_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/bundle_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/bundle_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/cache_watch_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/cache_watch_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/cache_watch_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/cache_watch_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/cloud_provider_integration_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/cloud_provider_integration_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/cloud_provider_integration_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/cloud_provider_integration_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/configuration_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/configuration_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/configuration_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/configuration_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/custom_roles_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/custom_roles_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/custom_roles_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/custom_roles_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/datafederation_pe_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/datafederation_pe_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/datafederation_pe_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/datafederation_pe_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/db_users_oidc_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/db_users_oidc_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/db_users_oidc_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/db_users_oidc_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/db_users_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/db_users_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/db_users_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/db_users_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/dry_run_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/dry_run_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/dry_run_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/dry_run_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/encryption_at_rest_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/encryption_at_rest_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/encryption_at_rest_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/encryption_at_rest_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/flex_deployment_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/flex_deployment_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/flex_deployment_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/flex_deployment_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/free_tier_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/free_tier_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/free_tier_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/free_tier_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/global_deployment_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/global_deployment_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/global_deployment_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/global_deployment_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/independent_customroles_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/independent_customroles_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/independent_customroles_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/independent_customroles_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/inprocess_suite_test.go
similarity index 95%
rename from test/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/inprocess_suite_test.go
index 6120403faa..af667838f5 100644
--- a/test/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go
+++ b/test/kind/inprocess/inprocess_suite_test.go
@@ -26,15 +26,15 @@ var (
 )
 
 func TestE2e(t *testing.T) {
-	control.SkipTestUnless(t, "AKO_E2E_TEST")
+	control.SkipTestUnless(t, "AKO_KIND_TEST")
 
 	RegisterFailHandler(Fail)
 	RunSpecs(t, "Atlas Operator E2E Test Suite")
 }
 
 var _ = BeforeSuite(func() {
-	if !control.Enabled("AKO_E2E_TEST") {
-		fmt.Println("Skipping e2e BeforeSuite, AKO_E2E_TEST is not set")
+	if !control.Enabled("AKO_KIND_TEST") {
+		fmt.Println("Skipping e2e BeforeSuite, AKO_KIND_TEST is not set")
 
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/test/e2e/integration_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/integration_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/integration_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/integration_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/ipaccesslist_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/ipaccesslist_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/ipaccesslist_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/ipaccesslist_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/multinamespace_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/multinamespace_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/multinamespace_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/multinamespace_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/network_container_controller_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/network_container_controller_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/network_container_controller_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/network_container_controller_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/network_peering_controller_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/network_peering_controller_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/network_peering_controller_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/network_peering_controller_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/network_peering_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/network_peering_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/network_peering_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/network_peering_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/operator_type_wide_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/operator_type_wide_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/operator_type_wide_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/operator_type_wide_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/output/keep-directory.txt b/test/kind/inprocess/output/keep-directory.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/output/keep-directory.txt
rename to test/kind/inprocess/output/keep-directory.txt
diff --git a/test/e2e/private_link_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/private_link_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/private_link_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/private_link_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/privateendpoint_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/privateendpoint_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/privateendpoint_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/privateendpoint_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/project_settings_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/project_settings_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/project_settings_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/project_settings_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/searchindex_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/searchindex_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/searchindex_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/searchindex_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/searchnodes_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/searchnodes_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/searchnodes_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/searchnodes_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/teams_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/teams_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/teams_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/teams_test.go
diff --git a/test/e2e/x509_test.go b/test/kind/inprocess/x509_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from test/e2e/x509_test.go
rename to test/kind/inprocess/x509_test.go