diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/framework.go b/test/e2e/framework/framework.go
index c8ba3aa0879..79050477fd5 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/framework.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/framework.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -144,10 +145,19 @@ type Options struct {
 	GroupVersion *schema.GroupVersion
 }
 
-// NewFrameworkWithCustomTimeouts makes a framework with with custom timeouts.
+// NewFrameworkWithCustomTimeouts makes a framework with custom timeouts.
+// For timeout values that are zero the normal default value continues to
+// be used.
 func NewFrameworkWithCustomTimeouts(baseName string, timeouts *TimeoutContext) *Framework {
 	f := NewDefaultFramework(baseName)
-	f.Timeouts = timeouts
+	in := reflect.ValueOf(timeouts).Elem()
+	out := reflect.ValueOf(f.Timeouts).Elem()
+	for i := 0; i < in.NumField(); i++ {
+		value := in.Field(i)
+		if !value.IsZero() {
+			out.Field(i).Set(value)
+		}
+	}
 	return f
 }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/internal/unittests/framework_test.go b/test/e2e/framework/internal/unittests/framework_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..30c8d8d0311
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/internal/unittests/framework_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2023 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package framework_test
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/test/e2e/framework"
+)
+
+func TestNewFrameworkWithCustomTimeouts(t *testing.T) {
+	defaultF := framework.NewDefaultFramework("test")
+	customTimeouts := &framework.TimeoutContext{
+		PodStart:  5 * time.Second,
+		PodDelete: time.Second,
+	}
+	customF := framework.NewFrameworkWithCustomTimeouts("test", customTimeouts)
+
+	defaultF.Timeouts.PodStart = customTimeouts.PodStart
+	defaultF.Timeouts.PodDelete = customTimeouts.PodDelete
+	assert.Equal(t, customF.Timeouts, defaultF.Timeouts)
+}
+
+func TestNewFramework(t *testing.T) {
+	f := framework.NewDefaultFramework("test")
+
+	timeouts := reflect.ValueOf(f.Timeouts).Elem()
+	for i := 0; i < timeouts.NumField(); i++ {
+		value := timeouts.Field(i)
+		if value.IsZero() {
+			t.Errorf("%s in Framework.Timeouts was not set.", reflect.TypeOf(*f.Timeouts).Field(i).Name)
+		}
+	}
+}