diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-ci.yml
index e4a47c60e0..64a7f43b9f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-ci.yml
@@ -56,16 +56,15 @@ jobs:
           cd e2e/assets/gitrepo
           # Buildkit needed here for proper here-document support
           DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 docker build -f Dockerfile.gitserver -t nginx-git:test --build-arg="passwd=$(openssl passwd foo)" .
+      -
+        name: Install k3d
+        run: curl --silent --fail https://raw.githubusercontent.com/k3d-io/k3d/main/install.sh | TAG=${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }} bash
       -
         name: Provision k3d Cluster
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        # k3d will automatically create a network named k3d-test-cluster-1 with the range 172.18.0.0/16
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "upstream"
-          args: >-
-            --agents 1
-            --network "nw01"
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create upstream --wait \
+            --agents 1 \
+            --network "nw01" \
             --image docker.io/rancher/k3s:${{matrix.k3s_version}}
       -
         name: Import Images Into k3d
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-fleet-upgrade-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-fleet-upgrade-ci.yml
index 982db8fddc..2fe61e05c4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-fleet-upgrade-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-fleet-upgrade-ci.yml
@@ -31,16 +31,18 @@ jobs:
       -
         name: Install Ginkgo CLI
         run: go install github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2/ginkgo
+      -
+        name: Install crust-gather CLI
+        run: curl -sSfL https://github.com/crust-gather/crust-gather/raw/main/install.sh | sh -s -- --yes
+      -
+        name: Install k3d
+        run: curl --silent --fail https://raw.githubusercontent.com/k3d-io/k3d/main/install.sh | TAG=${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }} bash
       -
         name: Provision k3d Cluster
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        # k3d will automatically create a network named k3d-test-cluster-1 with the range 172.18.0.0/16
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "upstream"
-          args: >-
-            --agents 1
-            --network "nw01"
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create upstream --wait \
+            --agents 1 \
+            --network "nw01" \
             --image docker.io/rancher/k3s:${{matrix.k3s_version}}
       -
         name: Deploy Latest Release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-multicluster-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-multicluster-ci.yml
index ab2d7c172f..c5e9f06c9f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-multicluster-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-multicluster-ci.yml
@@ -39,41 +39,35 @@ jobs:
         name: Build Docker Images
         run: |
           ./.github/scripts/build-fleet-images.sh
+      -
+        name: Install k3d
+        run: curl --silent --fail https://raw.githubusercontent.com/k3d-io/k3d/main/install.sh | TAG=${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }} bash
       -
         name: Provision k3d Cluster
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "upstream"
-          args: >-
-            -p "80:80@agent:0:direct"
-            -p "443:443@agent:0:direct"
-            --api-port 6443
-            --agents 1
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create upstream --wait \
+            -p "80:80@agent:0:direct" \
+            -p "443:443@agent:0:direct" \
+            --api-port 6443 \
+            --agents 1 \
             --network "nw01"
       -
         name: Provision k3d Downstream Cluster for agent-initiated registration
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "downstream"
-          args: >-
-            -p "81:80@agent:0:direct"
-            -p "444:443@agent:0:direct"
-            --api-port 6644
-            --agents 1
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create downstream --wait \
+            -p "81:80@agent:0:direct" \
+            -p "444:443@agent:0:direct" \
+            --api-port 6644 \
+            --agents 1 \
             --network "nw01"
       -
         name: Provision k3d Downstream Cluster for manager-initiated registration
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "managed-downstream"
-          args: >-
-            -p "82:80@agent:0:direct"
-            -p "445:443@agent:0:direct"
-            --api-port 6645
-            --agents 1
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create managed-downstream --wait \
+            -p "82:80@agent:0:direct" \
+            -p "445:443@agent:0:direct" \
+            --api-port 6645 \
+            --agents 1 \
             --network "nw01"
       -
         name: Import Images Into k3d
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-nightly-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-nightly-ci.yml
index 8854c93c74..44f61895fb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-nightly-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-nightly-ci.yml
@@ -52,16 +52,15 @@ jobs:
           ./.github/scripts/build-fleet-images.sh
 
           DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 docker build -f e2e/assets/gitrepo/Dockerfile.gitserver -t nginx-git:test --build-arg="passwd=$(openssl passwd foo)" e2e/assets/gitrepo
+      -
+        name: Install k3d
+        run: curl --silent --fail https://raw.githubusercontent.com/k3d-io/k3d/main/install.sh | TAG=${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }} bash
       -
         name: Provision k3d Cluster
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        # k3d will automatically create a network named k3d-test-cluster-1 with the range 172.18.0.0/16
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "upstream"
-          args: >-
-            --agents 1
-            --network "nw01"
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create upstream --wait \
+            --agents 1 \
+            --network "nw01" \
             --image docker.io/rancher/k3s:${{matrix.k3s_version}}
       -
         name: Import Images Into k3d
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-rancher-upgrade-fleet-to-head-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-rancher-upgrade-fleet-to-head-ci.yml
index 80cec5b22a..5c6411fabd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-rancher-upgrade-fleet-to-head-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-rancher-upgrade-fleet-to-head-ci.yml
@@ -103,35 +103,32 @@ jobs:
           push: true
           tags: ${{ steps.meta-fleet-agent.outputs.tags }}
           labels: ${{ steps.meta-fleet-agent.outputs.labels }}
+      -
+        name: Install k3d
+        run: curl --silent --fail https://raw.githubusercontent.com/k3d-io/k3d/main/install.sh | TAG=${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }} bash
       -
         name: Set up k3d control-plane cluster
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "upstream"
-          args: >-
-            -p "80:80@agent:0:direct"
-            -p "443:443@agent:0:direct"
-            --api-port 6443
-            --agents 1
-            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-hard=imagefs.available<1%,nodefs.available<1%@agent:*'
-            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-minimum-reclaim=imagefs.available=1%,nodefs.available=1%@agent:*'
-            --network "nw01"
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create upstream --wait \
+            -p "80:80@agent:0:direct" \
+            -p "443:443@agent:0:direct" \
+            --api-port 6443 \
+            --agents 1 \
+            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-hard=imagefs.available<1%,nodefs.available<1%@agent:*' \
+            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-minimum-reclaim=imagefs.available=1%,nodefs.available=1%@agent:*' \
+            --network "nw01" \
             --image docker.io/rancher/k3s:${{ env.SETUP_K3S_VERSION }}
       -
         name: Set up k3d downstream cluster
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "downstream"
-          args: >-
-            -p "81:80@agent:0:direct"
-            -p "444:443@agent:0:direct"
-            --api-port 6644
-            --agents 1
-            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-hard=imagefs.available<1%,nodefs.available<1%@agent:*'
-            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-minimum-reclaim=imagefs.available=1%,nodefs.available=1%@agent:*'
-            --network "nw01"
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create downstream --wait \
+            -p "81:80@agent:0:direct" \
+            -p "444:443@agent:0:direct" \
+            --api-port 6644 \
+            --agents 1 \
+            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-hard=imagefs.available<1%,nodefs.available<1%@agent:*' \
+            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-minimum-reclaim=imagefs.available=1%,nodefs.available=1%@agent:*' \
+            --network "nw01" \
             --image docker.io/rancher/k3s:${{ env.SETUP_K3S_VERSION }}
       -
         name: Set up latest Rancher
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-rancher-upgrade-fleet.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-rancher-upgrade-fleet.yml
index 3c6aed8cf5..effb6b6a80 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-rancher-upgrade-fleet.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-rancher-upgrade-fleet.yml
@@ -73,35 +73,32 @@ jobs:
           wget -q https://github.com/rancher/cli/releases/download/v2.6.0/rancher-linux-amd64-v2.6.0.tar.gz
           tar -xz --strip-components=2 -f rancher-linux-amd64-v2.6.0.tar.gz -C /home/runner/.local/bin
           rancher --version
+      -
+        name: Install k3d
+        run: curl --silent --fail https://raw.githubusercontent.com/k3d-io/k3d/main/install.sh | TAG=${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }} bash
       -
         name: Set up k3d control-plane cluster
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "upstream"
-          args: >-
-            -p "80:80@agent:0:direct"
-            -p "443:443@agent:0:direct"
-            --api-port 6443
-            --agents 1
-            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-hard=imagefs.available<1%,nodefs.available<1%@agent:*'
-            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-minimum-reclaim=imagefs.available=1%,nodefs.available=1%@agent:*'
-            --network "nw01"
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create upstream --wait \
+            -p "80:80@agent:0:direct" \
+            -p "443:443@agent:0:direct" \
+            --api-port 6443 \
+            --agents 1 \
+            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-hard=imagefs.available<1%,nodefs.available<1%@agent:*' \
+            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-minimum-reclaim=imagefs.available=1%,nodefs.available=1%@agent:*' \
+            --network "nw01" \
             --image docker.io/rancher/k3s:${{github.event.inputs.k3s_version}}
       -
         name: Set up k3d downstream cluster
-        uses: AbsaOSS/k3d-action@v2
-        with:
-          k3d-version: ${{ env.SETUP_K3D_VERSION }}
-          cluster-name: "downstream"
-          args: >-
-            -p "81:80@agent:0:direct"
-            -p "444:443@agent:0:direct"
-            --api-port 6644
-            --agents 1
-            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-hard=imagefs.available<1%,nodefs.available<1%@agent:*'
-            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-minimum-reclaim=imagefs.available=1%,nodefs.available=1%@agent:*'
-            --network "nw01"
+        run: |
+          k3d cluster create downstream --wait \
+            -p "81:80@agent:0:direct" \
+            -p "444:443@agent:0:direct" \
+            --api-port 6644 \
+            --agents 1 \
+            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-hard=imagefs.available<1%,nodefs.available<1%@agent:*' \
+            --k3s-arg '--kubelet-arg=eviction-minimum-reclaim=imagefs.available=1%,nodefs.available=1%@agent:*' \
+            --network "nw01" \
             --image docker.io/rancher/k3s:${{github.event.inputs.k3s_version}}
       -
         name: Set up Rancher