diff --git a/e2e/cluster_api_machine_management.go b/e2e/cluster_api_machine_management.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b62615bb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/cluster_api_machine_management.go
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+// Copyright 2026 Red Hat, Inc.
+//
+// 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 e2e
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+
+	appsv1 "k8s.io/api/apps/v1"
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	apiextensionsv1 "k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/envtest/komega"
+
+	configv1 "github.com/openshift/api/config/v1"
+	"github.com/openshift/api/features"
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/e2e/framework"
+)
+
+var _ = Describe("[sig-cluster-lifecycle][OCPFeatureGate:ClusterAPIMachineManagement] Cluster API Machine Management", Ordered, func() {
+	BeforeAll(func() {
+		if !framework.IsFeatureGateEnabled(ctx, cl, features.FeatureGateClusterAPIMachineManagement) {
+			Skip("Feature gate ClusterAPIMachineManagement is not enabled.")
+		}
+	})
+
+	Context("Operator & controller deployments", func() {
+		It("should have the capi-operator deployment available", func() {
+			assertDeploymentAvailable("capi-operator", framework.CAPIOperatorNamespace)
+		})
+
+		It("should have the cluster-api ClusterOperator reporting healthy", func() {
+			co := &configv1.ClusterOperator{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: framework.CAPIClusterOperatorName}}
+			Eventually(komega.Object(co)).WithTimeout(framework.WaitMedium).WithPolling(framework.RetryMedium).Should(SatisfyAll(
+				HaveField("Status.Conditions", ContainElement(SatisfyAll(
+					HaveField("Type", Equal(configv1.OperatorAvailable)),
+					HaveField("Status", Equal(configv1.ConditionTrue)),
+				))),
+				HaveField("Status.Conditions", ContainElement(SatisfyAll(
+					HaveField("Type", Equal(configv1.OperatorDegraded)),
+					HaveField("Status", Equal(configv1.ConditionFalse)),
+				))),
+				HaveField("Status.Conditions", ContainElement(SatisfyAll(
+					HaveField("Type", Equal(configv1.OperatorProgressing)),
+					HaveField("Status", Equal(configv1.ConditionFalse)),
+				))),
+			))
+		})
+
+		It("should have the capi-controllers deployment available", func() {
+			assertDeploymentAvailable("capi-controllers", framework.CAPINamespace)
+		})
+
+		It("should have the capi-installer deployment available", func() {
+			assertDeploymentAvailable("capi-installer", framework.CAPIOperatorNamespace)
+		})
+	})
+
+	Context("CRD & API readiness", func() {
+		It("should have core Cluster API CRDs installed and established", func() {
+			for _, name := range []string{
+				"clusters.cluster.x-k8s.io",
+				"machines.cluster.x-k8s.io",
+				"machinesets.cluster.x-k8s.io",
+			} {
+				crd := &apiextensionsv1.CustomResourceDefinition{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: name}}
+				Eventually(komega.Object(crd)).WithTimeout(framework.WaitMedium).WithPolling(framework.RetryMedium).Should(
+					HaveField("Status.Conditions", ContainElement(SatisfyAll(
+						HaveField("Type", Equal(apiextensionsv1.Established)),
+						HaveField("Status", Equal(apiextensionsv1.ConditionTrue)),
+					))),
+					"CRD %s should be established", name,
+				)
+			}
+		})
+	})
+
+	Context("Management cluster resources", func() {
+		It("should have the management cluster kubeconfig Secret present", func() {
+			secret := &corev1.Secret{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name:      fmt.Sprintf("%s-kubeconfig", clusterName),
+				Namespace: framework.CAPINamespace,
+			}}
+			Eventually(komega.Object(secret)).WithTimeout(framework.WaitMedium).WithPolling(framework.RetryMedium).Should(
+				HaveField("Data", HaveKey("value")),
+			)
+		})
+	})
+
+})
+
+func assertDeploymentAvailable(name, namespace string) {
+	GinkgoHelper()
+	deployment := &appsv1.Deployment{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: name, Namespace: namespace}}
+	Eventually(komega.Object(deployment)).WithTimeout(framework.WaitMedium).WithPolling(framework.RetryMedium).Should(
+		HaveField("Status.Conditions", ContainElement(SatisfyAll(
+			HaveField("Type", Equal(appsv1.DeploymentAvailable)),
+			HaveField("Status", Equal(corev1.ConditionTrue)),
+		))),
+	)
+}
diff --git a/e2e/framework/framework.go b/e2e/framework/framework.go
index 5fb75b9e6..fd588032f 100644
--- a/e2e/framework/framework.go
+++ b/e2e/framework/framework.go
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ const (
 	CompatibilityRequirementsNamespace = "openshift-compatibility-requirements-operator"
 	MAPINamespace                      = "openshift-machine-api"
 
+	CAPIClusterOperatorName          = "cluster-api"
+	CAPIInstallerImagesConfigMapName = "capi-installer-images"
+
 	RetryShort  = 1 * time.Second
 	RetryMedium = 5 * time.Second
 	RetryLong   = 10 * time.Second