diff --git a/hack/e2e.go b/hack/e2e.go
index 124ed378f7b..f1044dbec76 100644
--- a/hack/e2e.go
+++ b/hack/e2e.go
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ func Test() bool {
 	}
 
 	// TODO(fejta): add a --federated or something similar
-	if os.Getenv("FEDERATION") == "" {
+	if os.Getenv("FEDERATION") != "true" {
 		if *checkNodeCount {
 			ValidateClusterSize()
 		}