diff --git a/test/e2e/petset.go b/test/e2e/petset.go
index 53a74e1cae0..7e54cfb0eb1 100644
--- a/test/e2e/petset.go
+++ b/test/e2e/petset.go
@@ -55,9 +55,8 @@ const (
 	mysqlGaleraManifestPath = "test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/mysql-galera"
 	redisManifestPath       = "test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/redis"
 	cockroachDBManifestPath = "test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/cockroachdb"
-	// Should the test restart statefulset clusters?
-	// TODO: enable when we've productionzed bringup of pets in this e2e.
-	restartCluster = false
+	// We don't restart MySQL cluster regardless of restartCluster, since MySQL doesn't handle restart well
+	restartCluster = true
 
 	// Timeout for reads from databases running on pets.
 	readTimeout = 60 * time.Second
@@ -408,10 +407,15 @@ func (c *clusterAppTester) run() {
 	By("Creating foo:bar in member with index 0")
 	c.pet.write(0, map[string]string{"foo": "bar"})
 
-	if restartCluster {
-		By("Restarting stateful set " + ps.Name)
-		c.tester.restart(ps)
-		c.tester.waitForRunning(ps.Spec.Replicas, ps)
+	switch c.pet.(type) {
+	case *mysqlGaleraTester:
+		// Don't restart MySQL cluster since it doesn't handle restarts well
+	default:
+		if restartCluster {
+			By("Restarting stateful set " + ps.Name)
+			c.tester.restart(ps)
+			c.tester.waitForRunning(ps.Spec.Replicas, ps)
+		}
 	}
 
 	By("Reading value under foo from member with index 2")
diff --git a/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/mysql-galera/petset.yaml b/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/mysql-galera/petset.yaml
index 91673bcd5e8..c499837889d 100644
--- a/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/mysql-galera/petset.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/mysql-galera/petset.yaml
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ spec:
             }
         ]'
     spec:
-      terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 0
       containers:
       - name: mysql
         image: gcr.io/google_containers/mysql-galera:e2e
diff --git a/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/redis/petset.yaml b/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/redis/petset.yaml
index f67d54e3141..73a4f925022 100644
--- a/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/redis/petset.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/redis/petset.yaml
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ spec:
             }
         ]'
     spec:
-      terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 0
       containers:
       - name: redis
         image: debian:jessie
diff --git a/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/zookeeper/petset.yaml b/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/zookeeper/petset.yaml
index 9f2afc42013..aefd42e9d88 100644
--- a/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/zookeeper/petset.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/testing-manifests/petset/zookeeper/petset.yaml
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ spec:
             }
         ]'
     spec:
-      terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 0
       containers:
       - name: zk
         image: java:openjdk-8-jre