[e2e] Error: Timed out waiting for nodes to be created

[vikasbolla]

Which jobs are flaking?

periodic-cluster-api-e2e-main
periodic-cluster-api-e2e-mink8s-main
periodic-cluster-api-e2e-release-1-10
periodic-cluster-api-e2e-release-1-12
periodic-cluster-api-e2e-release-1-11

Which tests are flaking?

• capi-e2e [It] When using the autoscaler with Cluster API using ClusterClass [ClusterClass] Should create a workload cluster [ClusterClass]
• capi-e2e [It] When testing MachineDeployment scale out/in Should successfully scale a MachineDeployment up and down upon changes to the MachineDeployment replica count
• capi-e2e [It] When following the Cluster API quick-start with IPv6 [IPv6] Should create a workload cluster [IPv6]
• capi-e2e [It] When upgrading a workload cluster using ClusterClass [ClusterClass] Should create and upgrade a workload cluster and eventually run kubetest [ClusterClass]
• capi-e2e [It] When upgrading a workload cluster using ClusterClass with RuntimeSDK [ClusterClass] Should create, upgrade and delete a workload cluster [ClusterClass]

Since when has it been flaking?

Jan 16th, 2026

Testgrid link

https://storage.googleapis.com/k8s-triage/index.html?date=2026-01-01&text=Timed%20out%20waiting%20for%20%5Cd%20nodes%20to%20be%20created%20for%20MachineDeployment&job=.*cluster-api&xjob=.*-provider-

Reason for failure (if possible)

No response

Anything else we need to know?

Error message -

Timed out after 300.001s.
Timed out waiting for 1 nodes to be created for MachineDeployment quick-start-4mt02c/quick-start-ahmdjl-md-0
The function passed to Eventually failed at /home/prow/go/src/sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test/framework/machinedeployment_helpers.go:145 with:
Expected
    <int>: 0
to equal
    <int>: 1
[FAILED] Timed out after 300.001s.
Timed out waiting for 1 nodes to be created for MachineDeployment quick-start-4mt02c/quick-start-ahmdjl-md-0
The function passed to Eventually failed at /home/prow/go/src/sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test/framework/machinedeployment_helpers.go:145 with:
Expected
    <int>: 0
to equal
    <int>: 1
In [It] at: /home/prow/go/src/sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api/test/framework/machinedeployment_helpers.go:146 @ 01/19/26 17:09:07.826

Label(s) to be applied

/kind flake
One or more /area label. See https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api/labels?q=area for the list of labels.

[peppi-lotta]

Let's assign this issue to @vikasbolla. He has promised to start looking onto this for now.

[vikasbolla]

@peppi-lotta , unfortunately I was not able to reproduce this, and currently occupied with some work, so will look into this later, but if someone is interested, can pick this up. Thanks!!

[fabriziopandini]

/help

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[sbueringer]

Seems also caused by failed to exec

[sivchari]

#13447 might be able to fix this issue.