diff --git a/hack/skaffold/virtual-kubelet/base.yml b/hack/skaffold/virtual-kubelet/base.yml
index a69970a63..0cbfc14c2 100644
--- a/hack/skaffold/virtual-kubelet/base.yml
+++ b/hack/skaffold/virtual-kubelet/base.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ rules:
   resources:
   - configmaps
   - secrets
+  - services
   verbs:
   - get
   - list
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ rules:
   - get
   - list
   - watch
+  - patch
 - apiGroups:
   - ""
   resources:
@@ -39,12 +41,14 @@ rules:
   - nodes/status
   verbs:
   - update
+  - patch
 - apiGroups:
   - ""
   resources:
   - pods/status
   verbs:
   - update
+  - patch
 - apiGroups:
   - ""
   resources:
diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/node.go b/test/e2e/framework/node.go
index d0ec060fd..d1fa4892e 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/node.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/node.go
@@ -43,16 +43,18 @@ func (f *Framework) WaitUntilNodeCondition(fn watch.ConditionFunc) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// WaitUntilNodeAdded is a watch condition which waits until the VK node object
-// is added.
-func (f *Framework) WaitUntilNodeAdded(event watchapi.Event) (bool, error) {
-	if event.Type != watchapi.Added {
-		return false, nil
+// DeleteNode deletes the vk node used by the framework
+func (f *Framework) DeleteNode() error {
+	var gracePeriod int64
+	propagation := metav1.DeletePropagationBackground
+	opts := metav1.DeleteOptions{
+		PropagationPolicy:  &propagation,
+		GracePeriodSeconds: &gracePeriod,
 	}
-	return event.Object.(*corev1.Node).Name == f.NodeName, nil
+	return f.KubeClient.CoreV1().Nodes().Delete(f.NodeName, &opts)
 }
 
-// DeleteNode deletes the vk node used by the framework
-func (f *Framework) DeleteNode() error {
-	return f.KubeClient.CoreV1().Nodes().Delete(f.NodeName, nil)
+// GetNode gets the vk nodeused by the framework
+func (f *Framework) GetNode() (*corev1.Node, error) {
+	return f.KubeClient.CoreV1().Nodes().Get(f.NodeName, metav1.GetOptions{})
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/node_test.go b/test/e2e/node_test.go
index 21358555d..ede1810c8 100644
--- a/test/e2e/node_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/node_test.go
@@ -3,49 +3,61 @@
 package e2e
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"gotest.tools/assert"
+	is "gotest.tools/assert/cmp"
+	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/fields"
 	watchapi "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/watch"
 )
 
 // TestNodeCreateAfterDelete makes sure that a node is automatically recreated
 // if it is deleted while VK is running.
 func TestNodeCreateAfterDelete(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	podList, err := f.KubeClient.CoreV1().Pods(f.Namespace).List(metav1.ListOptions{
+		FieldSelector: fields.OneTermEqualSelector("spec.nodeName", f.NodeName).String(),
+	})
+
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+	assert.Assert(t, is.Len(podList.Items, 0), "Kubernetes does not allow node deletion with dependent objects (pods) in existence: %v", podList.Items)
+
 	chErr := make(chan error, 1)
-	chDone := make(chan struct{})
-	defer close(chDone)
+
+	originalNode, err := f.GetNode()
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	ctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Minute)
+	defer cancel()
 
 	go func() {
-		var deleted bool
 		wait := func(e watchapi.Event) (bool, error) {
-			select {
-			case <-chDone:
-				return true, nil
-			default:
+			err = ctx.Err()
+			// Our timeout has expired
+			if err != nil {
+				return true, err
 			}
-
-			if deleted {
-				return f.WaitUntilNodeAdded(e)
-			}
-			if e.Type == watchapi.Deleted {
-				deleted = true
+			if e.Type == watchapi.Deleted || e.Type == watchapi.Error {
+				return false, nil
 			}
-			return false, nil
+
+			return originalNode.ObjectMeta.UID != e.Object.(*v1.Node).ObjectMeta.UID, nil
 		}
 		chErr <- f.WaitUntilNodeCondition(wait)
 	}()
 
 	assert.NilError(t, f.DeleteNode())
 
-	timer := time.NewTimer(60 * time.Second)
-	defer timer.Stop()
-
 	select {
-	case <-timer.C:
-		t.Fatal("timeout waiting for node to be recreated")
-	case err := <-chErr:
-		assert.NilError(t, err)
+	case result := <-chErr:
+		assert.NilError(t, result, "Did not observe new node object created after deletion")
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		t.Fatal("Test timed out while waiting for node object to be deleted / recreated")
 	}
 }