diff --git a/tests/e2e/kubetest2-kops/deployer/up.go b/tests/e2e/kubetest2-kops/deployer/up.go
index f44fbf70c4086..0a87d619256aa 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/kubetest2-kops/deployer/up.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/kubetest2-kops/deployer/up.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func (d *deployer) createCluster(zones []string, adminAccess string, yes bool) e
 		"--kubernetes-version", d.KubernetesVersion,
 		"--ssh-public-key", d.SSHPublicKeyPath,
 		"--set", "cluster.spec.nodePortAccess=0.0.0.0/0",
-		"--set", "spec.containerd.configAdditions=plugins.\"io.containerd.grpc.v1.cri\".containerd.runtimes.test-handler.runtime_type=\"io.containerd.runc.v2\"",
+		"--set", `spec.containerd.configAdditions=plugins."io.containerd.grpc.v1.cri".containerd.runtimes.test-handler.runtime_type="io.containerd.runc.v2"`,
 	}
 	if yes {
 		args = append(args, "--yes")