diff --git a/test/suites/ami/suite_test.go b/test/suites/ami/suite_test.go
index 7ab83cb377c5..d3e33945449e 100644
--- a/test/suites/ami/suite_test.go
+++ b/test/suites/ami/suite_test.go
@@ -71,8 +71,10 @@ var _ = AfterEach(func() { env.AfterEach() })
 
 var _ = Describe("AMI", func() {
 	var customAMI string
+	var deprecatedAMI string
 	BeforeEach(func() {
 		customAMI = env.GetAMIBySSMPath(fmt.Sprintf("/aws/service/eks/optimized-ami/%s/amazon-linux-2023/x86_64/standard/recommended/image_id", env.K8sVersion()))
+		deprecatedAMI = "ami-0f5202a918cd98f37"
 	})
 
 	It("should use the AMI defined by the AMI Selector Terms", func() {
@@ -156,6 +158,39 @@ var _ = Describe("AMI", func() {
 
 		env.ExpectInstance(pod.Spec.NodeName).To(HaveField("ImageId", HaveValue(Equal(customAMI))))
 	})
+	It("should support launching nodes with a deprecated ami", func() {
+		nodeClass.Spec.AMIFamily = lo.ToPtr(v1.AMIFamilyAL2023)
+		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{
+			{
+				ID: deprecatedAMI,
+			},
+		}
+		pod := coretest.Pod()
+
+		env.ExpectCreated(pod, nodeClass, nodePool)
+		env.EventuallyExpectHealthy(pod)
+		env.ExpectCreatedNodeCount("==", 1)
+
+		env.ExpectInstance(pod.Spec.NodeName).To(HaveField("ImageId", HaveValue(Equal(deprecatedAMI))))
+	})
+	It("should prioritize launch with non-deprecated AMIs", func() {
+		nodeClass.Spec.AMIFamily = lo.ToPtr(v1.AMIFamilyAL2023)
+		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{
+			{
+				ID: deprecatedAMI,
+			},
+			{
+				ID: customAMI,
+			},
+		}
+		pod := coretest.Pod()
+
+		env.ExpectCreated(pod, nodeClass, nodePool)
+		env.EventuallyExpectHealthy(pod)
+		env.ExpectCreatedNodeCount("==", 1)
+
+		env.ExpectInstance(pod.Spec.NodeName).To(HaveField("ImageId", HaveValue(Equal(customAMI))))
+	})
 
 	Context("AMIFamily", func() {
 		DescribeTable(
diff --git a/test/suites/drift/suite_test.go b/test/suites/drift/suite_test.go
index 02d3b75154ff..383f02610bd7 100644
--- a/test/suites/drift/suite_test.go
+++ b/test/suites/drift/suite_test.go
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import (
 
 var env *aws.Environment
 var amdAMI string
+var deprecatedAMI string
 var nodeClass *v1.EC2NodeClass
 var nodePool *karpv1.NodePool
 
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Drift", func() {
 	var numPods int
 	BeforeEach(func() {
 		amdAMI = env.GetAMIBySSMPath(fmt.Sprintf("/aws/service/eks/optimized-ami/%s/amazon-linux-2023/x86_64/standard/recommended/image_id", env.K8sVersion()))
+		deprecatedAMI = "ami-0f5202a918cd98f37"
 		numPods = 1
 		// Add pods with a do-not-disrupt annotation so that we can check node metadata before we disrupt
 		dep = coretest.Deployment(coretest.DeploymentOptions{
@@ -390,10 +392,9 @@ var _ = Describe("Drift", func() {
 		env.EventuallyExpectNotFound(pod, nodeClaim, node)
 		env.EventuallyExpectHealthyPodCount(selector, numPods)
 	})
-	It("should return drifted if the AMI no longer matches the existing NodeClaims instance type", func() {
-		armAMI := env.GetAMIBySSMPath(fmt.Sprintf("/aws/service/eks/optimized-ami/%s/amazon-linux-2023/arm64/standard/recommended/image_id", env.K8sVersion()))
+	It("should disrupt nodes for deprecated AMIs to non-deprecated AMIs", func() {
 		nodeClass.Spec.AMIFamily = lo.ToPtr(v1.AMIFamilyAL2023)
-		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{{ID: armAMI}}
+		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{{ID: deprecatedAMI}}
 
 		env.ExpectCreated(dep, nodeClass, nodePool)
 		pod := env.EventuallyExpectHealthyPodCount(selector, numPods)[0]
@@ -401,7 +402,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Drift", func() {
 
 		nodeClaim := env.EventuallyExpectCreatedNodeClaimCount("==", 1)[0]
 		node := env.EventuallyExpectNodeCount("==", 1)[0]
-		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{{ID: amdAMI}}
+		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{{ID: amdAMI}, {ID: deprecatedAMI}}
 		env.ExpectCreatedOrUpdated(nodeClass)
 
 		env.EventuallyExpectDrifted(nodeClaim)
@@ -410,26 +411,32 @@ var _ = Describe("Drift", func() {
 		env.ExpectUpdated(pod)
 		env.EventuallyExpectNotFound(pod, nodeClaim, node)
 		env.EventuallyExpectHealthyPodCount(selector, numPods)
-	})
-	It("should not disrupt nodes that have drifted without the featureGate enabled", func() {
-		env.ExpectSettingsOverridden(corev1.EnvVar{Name: "FEATURE_GATES", Value: "Drift=false"})
 
-		oldCustomAMI := env.GetAMIBySSMPath(fmt.Sprintf("/aws/service/eks/optimized-ami/%s/amazon-linux-2023/x86_64/standard/recommended/image_id", env.K8sVersionWithOffset(1)))
+		// validate the AMI id matches the non-deprecated AMI
+		pod = env.EventuallyExpectHealthyPodCount(selector, numPods)[0]
+		env.ExpectInstance(pod.Spec.NodeName).To(HaveField("ImageId", HaveValue(Equal(amdAMI))))
+
+	})
+	It("should return drifted if the AMI no longer matches the existing NodeClaims instance type", func() {
+		armAMI := env.GetAMIBySSMPath(fmt.Sprintf("/aws/service/eks/optimized-ami/%s/amazon-linux-2023/arm64/standard/recommended/image_id", env.K8sVersion()))
 		nodeClass.Spec.AMIFamily = lo.ToPtr(v1.AMIFamilyAL2023)
-		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{{ID: oldCustomAMI}}
+		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{{ID: armAMI}}
 
 		env.ExpectCreated(dep, nodeClass, nodePool)
-		env.EventuallyExpectHealthyPodCount(selector, numPods)
+		pod := env.EventuallyExpectHealthyPodCount(selector, numPods)[0]
 		env.ExpectCreatedNodeCount("==", 1)
 
-		node := env.Monitor.CreatedNodes()[0]
+		nodeClaim := env.EventuallyExpectCreatedNodeClaimCount("==", 1)[0]
+		node := env.EventuallyExpectNodeCount("==", 1)[0]
 		nodeClass.Spec.AMISelectorTerms = []v1.AMISelectorTerm{{ID: amdAMI}}
-		env.ExpectUpdated(nodeClass)
+		env.ExpectCreatedOrUpdated(nodeClass)
 
-		// We should consistently get the same node existing for a minute
-		Consistently(func(g Gomega) {
-			g.Expect(env.Client.Get(env.Context, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(node), &corev1.Node{})).To(Succeed())
-		}).WithTimeout(time.Minute).Should(Succeed())
+		env.EventuallyExpectDrifted(nodeClaim)
+
+		delete(pod.Annotations, karpv1.DoNotDisruptAnnotationKey)
+		env.ExpectUpdated(pod)
+		env.EventuallyExpectNotFound(pod, nodeClaim, node)
+		env.EventuallyExpectHealthyPodCount(selector, numPods)
 	})
 	It("should disrupt nodes that have drifted due to securitygroup", func() {
 		By("getting the cluster vpc id")