diff --git a/packaging/flavorgen/flavors/generators.go b/packaging/flavorgen/flavors/generators.go
index c8dfbdf730..7880cfd453 100644
--- a/packaging/flavorgen/flavors/generators.go
+++ b/packaging/flavorgen/flavors/generators.go
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ systemd:
         After=containerd.service
         [Service]
         # Make metadata environment variables available for pre-kubeadm commands.
-        EnvironmentFile=/run/metadata/*`
+        EnvironmentFile=/run/metadata/*
+        # Log to file
+        StandardOutput=append:/var/log/kubeadm-service.log
+        StandardError=inherit`
 )
 
 func newClusterTopologyCluster(supervisorMode bool) (clusterv1.Cluster, error) {
diff --git a/templates/cluster-template-ignition.yaml b/templates/cluster-template-ignition.yaml
index 80ae91cab6..ba0c4062f7 100644
--- a/templates/cluster-template-ignition.yaml
+++ b/templates/cluster-template-ignition.yaml
@@ -261,6 +261,9 @@ spec:
                   [Service]
                   # Make metadata environment variables available for pre-kubeadm commands.
                   EnvironmentFile=/run/metadata/*
+                  # Log to file
+                  StandardOutput=append:/var/log/kubeadm-service.log
+                  StandardError=inherit
     initConfiguration:
       nodeRegistration:
         criSocket: /var/run/containerd/containerd.sock
@@ -361,6 +364,9 @@ spec:
                     [Service]
                     # Make metadata environment variables available for pre-kubeadm commands.
                     EnvironmentFile=/run/metadata/*
+                    # Log to file
+                    StandardOutput=append:/var/log/kubeadm-service.log
+                    StandardError=inherit
       joinConfiguration:
         nodeRegistration:
           criSocket: /var/run/containerd/containerd.sock
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kcp.yaml b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kcp.yaml
index 12c33d21a9..942726508c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kcp.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kcp.yaml
@@ -10,6 +10,16 @@
       set -o nounset
       set -o pipefail
       set -o errexit
+
+      DISTRO="ubuntu"
+      KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/usr/bin"
+
+      source /etc/lsb-release
+      if [[ "$${DISTRIB_ID}" == *Flatcar* ]]; then
+        # Overrides for flatcar
+        DISTRO="flatcar"
+        KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/opt/bin"
+      fi
       
       function retry {
         attempt=0
@@ -55,7 +65,7 @@
         CONTAINER_EXT="tar"
         echo "* testing CI version $${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
         # Check for semver
-        if [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        if [[ "$${DISTRO}" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
           CI_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64"
           VERSION_WITHOUT_PREFIX="$${KUBERNETES_VERSION#v}"
           export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -87,7 +97,7 @@
             echo "* downloading binary: $${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
             wget "$${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" -O "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
             chmod +x "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
-            mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "/usr/bin/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
+            mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "$${KUBE_BINARY_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
           done
           systemctl restart kubelet
         fi
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kct.yaml b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kct.yaml
index 75f62edc3e..ab0fed842a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kct.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kct.yaml
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@
       set -o nounset
       set -o pipefail
       set -o errexit
+
+      DISTRO="ubuntu"
+      KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/usr/bin"
+
+      source /etc/lsb-release
+      if [[ "$${DISTRIB_ID}" == *Flatcar* ]]; then
+        # Overrides for flatcar
+        DISTRO="flatcar"
+        KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/opt/bin"
+      fi
       
       function retry {
         attempt=0
@@ -58,7 +68,7 @@
         CONTAINER_EXT="tar"
         echo "* testing CI version $${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
         # Check for semver
-        if [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        if [[ "$${DISTRO}" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
           CI_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64"
           VERSION_WITHOUT_PREFIX="$${KUBERNETES_VERSION#v}"
           export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -90,7 +100,7 @@
             echo "* downloading binary: $${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
             wget "$${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" -O "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
             chmod +x "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
-            mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "/usr/bin/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
+            mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "$${KUBE_BINARY_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
           done
           systemctl restart kubelet
         fi
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/clusterclass/patch-k8s-install-script.yaml b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/clusterclass/patch-k8s-install-script.yaml
index 83d4461dda..ffb860483a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/clusterclass/patch-k8s-install-script.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-govmomi/main/clusterclass/patch-k8s-install-script.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@
               set -o nounset
               set -o pipefail
               set -o errexit
+
+              DISTRO="ubuntu"
+              KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/usr/bin"
+
+              source /etc/lsb-release
+              if [[ "$${DISTRIB_ID}" == *Flatcar* ]]; then
+                # Overrides for flatcar
+                DISTRO="flatcar"
+                KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/opt/bin"
+              fi
               
               function retry {
                 attempt=0
@@ -61,7 +71,7 @@
                 CONTAINER_EXT="tar"
                 echo "* testing CI version $${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
                 # Check for semver
-                if [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+                if [[ "$${DISTRO}" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
                   CI_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64"
                   VERSION_WITHOUT_PREFIX="$${KUBERNETES_VERSION#v}"
                   export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -93,7 +103,7 @@
                     echo "* downloading binary: $${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                     wget "$${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" -O "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                     chmod +x "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
-                    mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "/usr/bin/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
+                    mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "$${KUBE_BINARY_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                   done
                   systemctl restart kubelet
                 fi
@@ -136,6 +146,16 @@
               set -o nounset
               set -o pipefail
               set -o errexit
+
+              DISTRO="ubuntu"
+              KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/usr/bin"
+
+              source /etc/lsb-release
+              if [[ "$${DISTRIB_ID}" == *Flatcar* ]]; then
+                # Overrides for flatcar
+                DISTRO="flatcar"
+                KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/opt/bin"
+              fi
               
               function retry {
                 attempt=0
@@ -181,7 +201,7 @@
                 CONTAINER_EXT="tar"
                 echo "* testing CI version $${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
                 # Check for semver
-                if [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+                if [[ "$${DISTRO}" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
                   CI_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64"
                   VERSION_WITHOUT_PREFIX="$${KUBERNETES_VERSION#v}"
                   export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -213,7 +233,7 @@
                     echo "* downloading binary: $${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                     wget "$${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" -O "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                     chmod +x "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
-                    mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "/usr/bin/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
+                    mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "$${KUBE_BINARY_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                   done
                   systemctl restart kubelet
                 fi
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kcp.yaml b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kcp.yaml
index 12c33d21a9..942726508c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kcp.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kcp.yaml
@@ -10,6 +10,16 @@
       set -o nounset
       set -o pipefail
       set -o errexit
+
+      DISTRO="ubuntu"
+      KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/usr/bin"
+
+      source /etc/lsb-release
+      if [[ "$${DISTRIB_ID}" == *Flatcar* ]]; then
+        # Overrides for flatcar
+        DISTRO="flatcar"
+        KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/opt/bin"
+      fi
       
       function retry {
         attempt=0
@@ -55,7 +65,7 @@
         CONTAINER_EXT="tar"
         echo "* testing CI version $${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
         # Check for semver
-        if [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        if [[ "$${DISTRO}" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
           CI_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64"
           VERSION_WITHOUT_PREFIX="$${KUBERNETES_VERSION#v}"
           export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -87,7 +97,7 @@
             echo "* downloading binary: $${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
             wget "$${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" -O "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
             chmod +x "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
-            mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "/usr/bin/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
+            mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "$${KUBE_BINARY_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
           done
           systemctl restart kubelet
         fi
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kct.yaml b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kct.yaml
index 75f62edc3e..ab0fed842a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kct.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/base/patch-k8s-install-script-kct.yaml
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@
       set -o nounset
       set -o pipefail
       set -o errexit
+
+      DISTRO="ubuntu"
+      KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/usr/bin"
+
+      source /etc/lsb-release
+      if [[ "$${DISTRIB_ID}" == *Flatcar* ]]; then
+        # Overrides for flatcar
+        DISTRO="flatcar"
+        KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/opt/bin"
+      fi
       
       function retry {
         attempt=0
@@ -58,7 +68,7 @@
         CONTAINER_EXT="tar"
         echo "* testing CI version $${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
         # Check for semver
-        if [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        if [[ "$${DISTRO}" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
           CI_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64"
           VERSION_WITHOUT_PREFIX="$${KUBERNETES_VERSION#v}"
           export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -90,7 +100,7 @@
             echo "* downloading binary: $${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
             wget "$${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" -O "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
             chmod +x "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
-            mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "/usr/bin/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
+            mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "$${KUBE_BINARY_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
           done
           systemctl restart kubelet
         fi
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/clusterclass/patch-k8s-install-script.yaml b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/clusterclass/patch-k8s-install-script.yaml
index 83d4461dda..ffb860483a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/clusterclass/patch-k8s-install-script.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/infrastructure-vsphere-supervisor/main/clusterclass/patch-k8s-install-script.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@
               set -o nounset
               set -o pipefail
               set -o errexit
+
+              DISTRO="ubuntu"
+              KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/usr/bin"
+
+              source /etc/lsb-release
+              if [[ "$${DISTRIB_ID}" == *Flatcar* ]]; then
+                # Overrides for flatcar
+                DISTRO="flatcar"
+                KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/opt/bin"
+              fi
               
               function retry {
                 attempt=0
@@ -61,7 +71,7 @@
                 CONTAINER_EXT="tar"
                 echo "* testing CI version $${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
                 # Check for semver
-                if [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+                if [[ "$${DISTRO}" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
                   CI_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64"
                   VERSION_WITHOUT_PREFIX="$${KUBERNETES_VERSION#v}"
                   export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -93,7 +103,7 @@
                     echo "* downloading binary: $${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                     wget "$${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" -O "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                     chmod +x "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
-                    mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "/usr/bin/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
+                    mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "$${KUBE_BINARY_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                   done
                   systemctl restart kubelet
                 fi
@@ -136,6 +146,16 @@
               set -o nounset
               set -o pipefail
               set -o errexit
+
+              DISTRO="ubuntu"
+              KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/usr/bin"
+
+              source /etc/lsb-release
+              if [[ "$${DISTRIB_ID}" == *Flatcar* ]]; then
+                # Overrides for flatcar
+                DISTRO="flatcar"
+                KUBE_BINARY_DIR="/opt/bin"
+              fi
               
               function retry {
                 attempt=0
@@ -181,7 +201,7 @@
                 CONTAINER_EXT="tar"
                 echo "* testing CI version $${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
                 # Check for semver
-                if [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+                if [[ "$${DISTRO}" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ "$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
                   CI_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${KUBERNETES_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64"
                   VERSION_WITHOUT_PREFIX="$${KUBERNETES_VERSION#v}"
                   export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -213,7 +233,7 @@
                     echo "* downloading binary: $${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                     wget "$${CI_URL}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" -O "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                     chmod +x "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
-                    mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "/usr/bin/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
+                    mv "$${CI_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}" "$${KUBE_BINARY_DIR}/$${CI_PACKAGE}"
                   done
                   systemctl restart kubelet
                 fi
diff --git a/test/framework/log/collector.go b/test/framework/log/collector.go
index fcb540ff23..f31e248e7d 100644
--- a/test/framework/log/collector.go
+++ b/test/framework/log/collector.go
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ func (c *MachineLogCollector) CollectMachineLog(ctx context.Context, _ client.Cl
 			"sudo", "cat", "/var/log/cloud-init.log"),
 		captureLogs("cloud-init-output.log",
 			"sudo", "cat", "/var/log/cloud-init-output.log"),
+		captureLogs("kubeadm-service.log",
+			"sudo", "cat", "/var/log/kubeadm-service.log"),
 	)
 }