diff --git a/tests/e2e/framework/kubernetes.go b/tests/e2e/framework/kubernetes.go
index ae1aebea328f..8c9de525b949 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/framework/kubernetes.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/framework/kubernetes.go
@@ -504,7 +504,16 @@ func (k *KubeInfo) Teardown() error {
 		}
 
 		if *clusterWide {
-			istioYaml := getClusterWideInstallFile()
+			var istioYaml string
+			if *multiClusterDir != "" {
+				if *authEnable {
+					istioYaml = mcAuthInstallFileNamespace
+				} else {
+					istioYaml = mcNonAuthInstallFileNamespace
+				}
+			} else {
+				istioYaml = getClusterWideInstallFile()
+			}
 
 			testIstioYaml := filepath.Join(k.TmpDir, "yaml", istioYaml)
 
@@ -725,6 +734,11 @@ func (k *KubeInfo) deployIstio() error {
 			log.Errorf("Remote Istio %s deployment failed", testIstioYaml)
 			return err
 		}
+		if err := util.CreateMultiClusterSecret(k.Namespace, k.RemoteKubeConfig, k.KubeConfig); err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Unable to create remote cluster secret on local cluster %s", err.Error())
+			return err
+		}
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Second)
 	}
 
 	if *useAutomaticInjection {
diff --git a/tests/e2e/tests/pilot/mesh_config_verify_test.go b/tests/e2e/tests/pilot/mesh_config_verify_test.go
index 89594de8a734..ce06b489335b 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/tests/pilot/mesh_config_verify_test.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/tests/pilot/mesh_config_verify_test.go
@@ -119,19 +119,8 @@ func createAndVerifyMCMeshConfig() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// Verify that the mesh contains endpoints from the primary cluster only
-	log.Infof("Before adding remote cluster secret, verify that the mesh only contains endpoints from the primary cluster only")
-	if err = verifyMCMeshConfig(primaryPodNames, remotePodNames, primaryAppEPs); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// Add the remote cluster by creating a secret and configmap in the primary cluster
-	if err = addRemoteCluster(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	// Verify that the mesh contains endpoints from both the primary and the remote clusters
-	log.Infof("After adding remote cluster secret, verify that the mesh contains endpoints from both the primary and the remote clusters")
+	log.Infof("Verify that the mesh contains endpoints from both the primary and the remote clusters")
 	aggregatedAppEPs := aggregateAppEPs(primaryAppEPs, remoteAppEPs)
 
 	if err = verifyMCMeshConfig(primaryPodNames, remotePodNames, aggregatedAppEPs); err != nil {
@@ -143,13 +132,13 @@ func createAndVerifyMCMeshConfig() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	log.Infof("After deleting remote cluster secret, verify again that the mesh contains endpoints from the primary cluster only")
-	// Verify that the mesh contains the primary endpoints only
+	// Verify that the mesh contains endpoints from the primary cluster only
+	log.Infof("After deleting remote cluster secret, verify that the mesh only contains endpoints from the primary cluster only")
 	if err = verifyMCMeshConfig(primaryPodNames, remotePodNames, primaryAppEPs); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// Again, add the remote cluster by creating a secret and configmap in the primary cluster
+	// Add back the remote cluster by creating a secret and configmap in the primary cluster
 	if err = addRemoteCluster(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/tests/util/kube_utils.go b/tests/util/kube_utils.go
index f7d2695fd44c..2665949aeac9 100644
--- a/tests/util/kube_utils.go
+++ b/tests/util/kube_utils.go
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ func CreateMultiClusterSecret(namespace string, remoteKubeConfig string, localKu
 		return err
 	}
 
-	log.Infof("Secret %s labelled with %s=%s\n", secretName, secretLabel, labelValue)
+	log.Infof("Secret %s labeled with %s=%s\n", secretName, secretLabel, labelValue)
 	return nil
 }