diff --git a/pkg/features/versioned_kube_features.go b/pkg/features/versioned_kube_features.go
index a5d4898dd31..5af0185bbfd 100644
--- a/pkg/features/versioned_kube_features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/versioned_kube_features.go
@@ -786,6 +786,7 @@ var defaultVersionedKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate
 		{Version: version.MustParse("1.21"), Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
 		{Version: version.MustParse("1.23"), Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 		{Version: version.MustParse("1.24"), Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
+		{Version: version.MustParse("1.33"), Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA, LockToDefault: true},
 	},
 
 	TopologyManagerPolicyAlphaOptions: {
diff --git a/pkg/registry/discovery/endpointslice/strategy_test.go b/pkg/registry/discovery/endpointslice/strategy_test.go
index 0d23e039297..57465eba305 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/discovery/endpointslice/strategy_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/discovery/endpointslice/strategy_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	apiequality "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/equality"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/version"
 	genericapirequest "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request"
 	utilfeature "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature"
 	featuregatetesting "k8s.io/component-base/featuregate/testing"
@@ -67,6 +68,9 @@ func Test_dropDisabledFieldsOnCreate(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, testcase := range testcases {
 		t.Run(testcase.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if !testcase.hintsGateEnabled {
+				featuregatetesting.SetFeatureGateEmulationVersionDuringTest(t, utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate, version.MustParse("1.32"))
+			}
 			featuregatetesting.SetFeatureGateDuringTest(t, utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate, features.TopologyAwareHints, testcase.hintsGateEnabled)
 
 			dropDisabledFieldsOnCreate(testcase.eps)
@@ -283,6 +287,9 @@ func Test_dropDisabledFieldsOnUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, testcase := range testcases {
 		t.Run(testcase.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if !testcase.hintsGateEnabled {
+				featuregatetesting.SetFeatureGateEmulationVersionDuringTest(t, utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate, version.MustParse("1.32"))
+			}
 			featuregatetesting.SetFeatureGateDuringTest(t, utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate, features.TopologyAwareHints, testcase.hintsGateEnabled)
 
 			dropDisabledFieldsOnUpdate(testcase.oldEPS, testcase.newEPS)