diff --git a/test/e2e_node/quota_lsci_test.go b/test/e2e_node/quota_lsci_test.go
index e26081b8633..5e470c27cdf 100644
--- a/test/e2e_node/quota_lsci_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e_node/quota_lsci_test.go
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ func runOneQuotaTest(f *framework.Framework, quotasRequested bool) {
 			}
 			// setting a threshold to 0% disables; non-empty map overrides default value (necessary due to omitempty)
 			initialConfig.EvictionHard = map[string]string{"memory.available": "0%"}
+
+			if initialConfig.FeatureGates == nil {
+				initialConfig.FeatureGates = map[string]bool{}
+			}
 			initialConfig.FeatureGates[string(LSCIQuotaFeature)] = quotasRequested
 		})
 		runEvictionTest(f, evictionTestTimeout, noPressure, noStarvedResource, logDiskMetrics, []podEvictSpec{