diff --git a/tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh b/tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh
index 5cee371a..50d0907f 100755
--- a/tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh
+++ b/tests/k8s-deploy/run-deploy-test.sh
@@ -225,12 +225,14 @@ else
     delete_cluster_exit
 fi
 
-# Stop then start again and check the volume was preserved
-$TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir stop
-# Sleep a bit just in case
-# sleep for longer to check if that's why the subsequent create cluster fails
-sleep 20
-$TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir start
+# Stop then start again and check the volume was preserved.
+# Use --skip-cluster-management to reuse the existing kind cluster instead of
+# destroying and recreating it (which fails on some CI runners due to cgroups issues).
+# Use --delete-volumes to clear PVs so fresh PVCs can bind on restart.
+# Bind-mount data survives on the host filesystem; provisioner volumes are recreated fresh.
+$TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir stop --delete-volumes --skip-cluster-management
+sleep 5
+$TEST_TARGET_SO deployment --dir $test_deployment_dir start --skip-cluster-management
 wait_for_pods_started
 wait_for_log_output
 sleep 1