diff --git a/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/00-redpanda-cluster.yaml b/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/00-redpanda-cluster.yaml
index 90fb9697ce2fe..c2a83887e8cde 100644
--- a/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/00-redpanda-cluster.yaml
+++ b/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/00-redpanda-cluster.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   image: "vectorized/redpanda"
   version: "v21.11.10"
-  replicas: 2
+  replicas: 3
   resources:
     requests:
       cpu: 100m
diff --git a/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/01-first-upgrade.yaml b/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/01-first-upgrade.yaml
index 7c2ae09fc36ec..589bee742eb92 100644
--- a/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/01-first-upgrade.yaml
+++ b/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/01-first-upgrade.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   image: "vectorized/redpanda"
   version: "v21.11.11"
-  replicas: 2
+  replicas: 3
   resources:
     requests:
       cpu: 100m
diff --git a/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/02-update-to-central-config-with-prop.yaml b/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/02-update-to-central-config-with-prop.yaml
index 3119425072a08..a8e9e5b28bae4 100644
--- a/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/02-update-to-central-config-with-prop.yaml
+++ b/src/go/k8s/tests/e2e/centralized-configuration-upgrade/02-update-to-central-config-with-prop.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   image: "localhost/redpanda"
   version: "dev"
-  replicas: 2
+  replicas: 3
   resources:
     requests:
       cpu: 100m
@@ -25,3 +25,4 @@ spec:
     developerMode: true
   additionalConfiguration:
     redpanda.segment_appender_flush_timeout_ms: "1003"
+  disablePostStartHook: true