diff --git a/test/e2e/storage/testsuites/provisioning.go b/test/e2e/storage/testsuites/provisioning.go
index bb220b3ade0..a564a31cee2 100644
--- a/test/e2e/storage/testsuites/provisioning.go
+++ b/test/e2e/storage/testsuites/provisioning.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ package testsuites
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	apiextensionsv1 "k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1"
+	crdclientset "k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/client/clientset/clientset"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -297,12 +299,34 @@ func (p *provisioningTestSuite) DefineTests(driver storageframework.TestDriver,
 		framework.ExpectNoError(err)
 		ginkgo.DeferCleanup(f.DeleteNamespace, valNamespace.Name)
 
-		ginkgo.By("Deploying validator")
 		valManifests := []string{
-			"test/e2e/testing-manifests/storage-csi/any-volume-datasource/crd/populator.storage.k8s.io_volumepopulators.yaml",
 			"test/e2e/testing-manifests/storage-csi/any-volume-datasource/volume-data-source-validator/rbac-data-source-validator.yaml",
 			"test/e2e/testing-manifests/storage-csi/any-volume-datasource/volume-data-source-validator/setup-data-source-validator.yaml",
 		}
+
+		crdManifestPath := "test/e2e/testing-manifests/storage-csi/any-volume-datasource/crd/populator.storage.k8s.io_volumepopulators.yaml"
+		crdItems, err := storageutils.LoadFromManifests(crdManifestPath)
+		framework.ExpectNoError(err, "Failed to load VolumePopulator CRD manifest")
+		gomega.Expect(crdItems).To(gomega.HaveLen(1), "Expected exactly one CRD in manifest")
+
+		crd, ok := crdItems[0].(*apiextensionsv1.CustomResourceDefinition)
+		gomega.Expect(ok).To(gomega.BeTrueBecause("Resource in loaded manifest file is not a CustomResourceDefinition: %s", crdManifestPath))
+
+		config, err := framework.LoadConfig()
+		framework.ExpectNoError(err)
+		apiExtensionClient, err := crdclientset.NewForConfig(config)
+		framework.ExpectNoError(err)
+
+		ginkgo.By(fmt.Sprintf("Checking if %s CRD exists", crd.Name))
+		_, err = apiExtensionClient.ApiextensionsV1().CustomResourceDefinitions().Get(ctx, crd.Name, metav1.GetOptions{})
+		if err != nil && apierrors.IsNotFound(err) {
+			ginkgo.By("VolumePopulator CRD not found, test will create it and remove when done")
+			valManifests = append(valManifests, crdManifestPath)
+		} else if err != nil {
+			framework.ExpectNoError(err, "Error checking for VolumePopulator CRD existence")
+		}
+
+		ginkgo.By("Deploying validator")
 		err = storageutils.CreateFromManifests(ctx, f, valNamespace,
 			func(item interface{}) error { return nil },
 			valManifests...)