diff --git a/test/e2e/scheduling/predicates.go b/test/e2e/scheduling/predicates.go
index 954e9e1666c..8689f71ff61 100644
--- a/test/e2e/scheduling/predicates.go
+++ b/test/e2e/scheduling/predicates.go
@@ -836,11 +836,15 @@ func initPausePod(f *framework.Framework, conf pausePodConfig) *v1.Pod {
 				},
 			},
 			Tolerations:                   conf.Tolerations,
-			NodeName:                      conf.NodeName,
 			PriorityClassName:             conf.PriorityClassName,
 			TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &gracePeriod,
 		},
 	}
+	// TODO: setting the Pod's nodeAffinity instead of setting .spec.nodeName works around the
+	// Preemption e2e flake (#88441), but we should investigate deeper to get to the bottom of it.
+	if len(conf.NodeName) != 0 {
+		e2epod.SetNodeAffinity(&pod.Spec, conf.NodeName)
+	}
 	if conf.Resources != nil {
 		pod.Spec.Containers[0].Resources = *conf.Resources
 	}
diff --git a/test/e2e/scheduling/preemption.go b/test/e2e/scheduling/preemption.go
index 4959caeb1f5..ba898f625b3 100644
--- a/test/e2e/scheduling/preemption.go
+++ b/test/e2e/scheduling/preemption.go
@@ -214,14 +214,14 @@ var _ = SIGDescribe("SchedulerPreemption [Serial]", func() {
 			if len(pods) == 0 {
 				priorityName = lowPriorityClassName
 			}
-			pods[i] = createPausePod(f, pausePodConfig{
+			pods = append(pods, createPausePod(f, pausePodConfig{
 				Name:              fmt.Sprintf("pod%d-%v", i, priorityName),
 				PriorityClassName: priorityName,
 				Resources: &v1.ResourceRequirements{
 					Requests: podRes,
 				},
 				NodeName: node.Name,
-			})
+			}))
 			framework.Logf("Created pod: %v", pods[i].Name)
 		}
 		if len(pods) < 2 {