diff --git a/test/e2e/federated-service.go b/test/e2e/federated-service.go
index 6cf3cfdfab6..46aad1f6478 100644
--- a/test/e2e/federated-service.go
+++ b/test/e2e/federated-service.go
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("[Feature:Federation]", func() {
 		})
 
 		Describe("Service creation", func() {
+			var (
+				service *v1.Service
+				nsName  string
+			)
+
 			BeforeEach(func() {
 				framework.SkipUnlessFederated(f.Client)
 				// Placeholder
@@ -71,37 +76,37 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("[Feature:Federation]", func() {
 
 			AfterEach(func() {
 				framework.SkipUnlessFederated(f.Client)
-				// Placeholder
+
+				if service != nil {
+					By(fmt.Sprintf("Deleting service shards and their provider resources in underlying clusters for service %q in namespace %q", service.Name, nsName))
+					cleanupServiceShardsAndProviderResources(nsName, service, clusters)
+					service = nil
+					nsName = ""
+				}
 			})
 
 			It("should succeed", func() {
 				framework.SkipUnlessFederated(f.Client)
 
-				nsName := f.FederationNamespace.Name
-				service := createServiceOrFail(f.FederationClientset_1_4, nsName, FederatedServiceName)
+				nsName = f.FederationNamespace.Name
+				service = createServiceOrFail(f.FederationClientset_1_4, nsName, FederatedServiceName)
 				By(fmt.Sprintf("Creation of service %q in namespace %q succeeded.  Deleting service.", service.Name, nsName))
 
 				// Cleanup
 				err := f.FederationClientset_1_4.Services(nsName).Delete(service.Name, &api.DeleteOptions{})
 				framework.ExpectNoError(err, "Error deleting service %q in namespace %q", service.Name, service.Namespace)
 				By(fmt.Sprintf("Deletion of service %q in namespace %q succeeded.", service.Name, nsName))
-
-				By(fmt.Sprintf("Deleting service shards and their provider resources in underlying clusters for service %q in namespace %q", service.Name, nsName))
-				cleanupServiceShardsAndProviderResources(nsName, service, clusters)
 			})
 
 			It("should create matching services in underlying clusters", func() {
 				framework.SkipUnlessFederated(f.Client)
 
-				nsName := f.FederationNamespace.Name
-				service := createServiceOrFail(f.FederationClientset_1_4, nsName, FederatedServiceName)
+				nsName = f.FederationNamespace.Name
+				service = createServiceOrFail(f.FederationClientset_1_4, nsName, FederatedServiceName)
 				defer func() { // Cleanup
 					By(fmt.Sprintf("Deleting service %q in namespace %q", service.Name, nsName))
 					err := f.FederationClientset_1_4.Services(nsName).Delete(service.Name, &api.DeleteOptions{})
 					framework.ExpectNoError(err, "Error deleting service %q in namespace %q", service.Name, nsName)
-
-					By(fmt.Sprintf("Deleting service shards and their provider resources in underlying clusters for service %q in namespace %q", service.Name, nsName))
-					cleanupServiceShardsAndProviderResources(nsName, service, clusters)
 				}()
 				waitForServiceShardsOrFail(nsName, service, clusters)
 			})
@@ -130,10 +135,11 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("[Feature:Federation]", func() {
 
 				if service != nil {
 					deleteServiceOrFail(f.FederationClientset_1_4, nsName, service.Name)
-					service = nil
 
 					By(fmt.Sprintf("Deleting service shards and their provider resources in underlying clusters for service %q in namespace %q", service.Name, nsName))
 					cleanupServiceShardsAndProviderResources(nsName, service, clusters)
+
+					service = nil
 				} else {
 					By("No service to delete.  Service is nil")
 				}