diff --git a/ci-operator/config/openshift/windows-machine-config-operator/openshift-windows-machine-config-operator-master.yaml b/ci-operator/config/openshift/windows-machine-config-operator/openshift-windows-machine-config-operator-master.yaml
index cf6c881fa6aa5..75fc060428c1c 100644
--- a/ci-operator/config/openshift/windows-machine-config-operator/openshift-windows-machine-config-operator-master.yaml
+++ b/ci-operator/config/openshift/windows-machine-config-operator/openshift-windows-machine-config-operator-master.yaml
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ tests:
     env:
       COMPUTE_NODE_REPLICAS: "1"
       CONTROL_PLANE_REPLICAS: "1"
+      WINDOWS_MACHINE_REPLICAS: "2"
       WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION: "2025"
     test:
     - ref: windows-e2e-operator-test
diff --git a/ci-operator/step-registry/windows/e2e/operator/test/windows-e2e-operator-test-commands.sh b/ci-operator/step-registry/windows/e2e/operator/test/windows-e2e-operator-test-commands.sh
index aa9c7450dd5c5..22b0aaa114886 100644
--- a/ci-operator/step-registry/windows/e2e/operator/test/windows-e2e-operator-test-commands.sh
+++ b/ci-operator/step-registry/windows/e2e/operator/test/windows-e2e-operator-test-commands.sh
@@ -37,4 +37,4 @@ if [ -f $MIRROR_REGISTRY_FILE ]; then
   echo "Using mirror registry: $MIRROR_REGISTRY_HOST"
 fi
 
-make run-ci-e2e-test
+hack/run-ci-e2e-test.sh -m "${WINDOWS_MACHINE_REPLICAS}"
diff --git a/ci-operator/step-registry/windows/e2e/operator/test/windows-e2e-operator-test-ref.yaml b/ci-operator/step-registry/windows/e2e/operator/test/windows-e2e-operator-test-ref.yaml
index 86cd688dc01f5..955970406868c 100644
--- a/ci-operator/step-registry/windows/e2e/operator/test/windows-e2e-operator-test-ref.yaml
+++ b/ci-operator/step-registry/windows/e2e/operator/test/windows-e2e-operator-test-ref.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ ref:
     - name: FIPS_ENABLED
       default: "false"
       documentation: Whether FIPS is enabled on the cluster or not.
+    - name: WINDOWS_MACHINE_REPLICAS
+      default: "1"
+      documentation: Number of Windows Machine instances to create and configure using the Machine controller.
     - name: VM_TEMPLATE
       default: ""
       documentation: An optional parameter to specify a custom VM template in vSphere.