diff --git a/test/e2e/network_partition.go b/test/e2e/network_partition.go
index e6a2d21f2af..8a8443542c6 100644
--- a/test/e2e/network_partition.go
+++ b/test/e2e/network_partition.go
@@ -391,7 +391,6 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("Network Partition [Disruptive] [Slow]", func() {
 			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
 			pst := statefulSetTester{c: c}
-			pst.saturate(ps)
 
 			nn := framework.TestContext.CloudConfig.NumNodes
 			nodeNames, err := framework.CheckNodesReady(f.ClientSet, framework.NodeReadyInitialTimeout, nn)
diff --git a/test/e2e/petset.go b/test/e2e/petset.go
index 65aaf43199e..757d24eee6a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/petset.go
+++ b/test/e2e/petset.go
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("StatefulSet [Slow] [Feature:PetSet]", func() {
 			petMounts := []api.VolumeMount{{Name: "datadir", MountPath: "/data/"}}
 			podMounts := []api.VolumeMount{{Name: "home", MountPath: "/home"}}
 			ps := newStatefulSet(psName, ns, headlessSvcName, 3, petMounts, podMounts, labels)
+			setInitializedAnnotation(ps, "false")
+
 			_, err := c.Apps().StatefulSets(ns).Create(ps)
 			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
@@ -139,6 +141,7 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("StatefulSet [Slow] [Feature:PetSet]", func() {
 			petMounts := []api.VolumeMount{{Name: "datadir", MountPath: "/data/"}}
 			podMounts := []api.VolumeMount{{Name: "home", MountPath: "/home"}}
 			ps := newStatefulSet(psName, ns, headlessSvcName, 2, petMounts, podMounts, labels)
+			setInitializedAnnotation(ps, "false")
 			_, err := c.Apps().StatefulSets(ns).Create(ps)
 			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
@@ -903,10 +906,8 @@ func newStatefulSet(name, ns, governingSvcName string, replicas int32, petMounts
 			Replicas: replicas,
 			Template: api.PodTemplateSpec{
 				ObjectMeta: api.ObjectMeta{
-					Labels: labels,
-					Annotations: map[string]string{
-						"pod.alpha.kubernetes.io/initialized": "false",
-					},
+					Labels:      labels,
+					Annotations: map[string]string{},
 				},
 				Spec: api.PodSpec{
 					Containers: []api.Container{
@@ -924,3 +925,7 @@ func newStatefulSet(name, ns, governingSvcName string, replicas int32, petMounts
 		},
 	}
 }
+
+func setInitializedAnnotation(ss *apps.StatefulSet, value string) {
+	ss.Spec.Template.ObjectMeta.Annotations["pod.alpha.kubernetes.io/initialized"] = value
+}