diff --git a/e2e/acceptance/features/topology.feature b/e2e/acceptance/features/topology.feature
index 5fb2e9c01..3c951e872 100644
--- a/e2e/acceptance/features/topology.feature
+++ b/e2e/acceptance/features/topology.feature
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ Feature: Slurm named topologies
     When Slurm is asked which topologies it loaded
     Then Slurm loaded exactly the topologies the operator rendered
 
-  @multi_topology @soperator_version_>=5.0.0
+  # Remove @unstable after worker topology registration is fixed.
+  @multi_topology @unstable @soperator_version_>=5.0.0
   Scenario: Partitions and workers use their configured topologies
     Given the operator published the topology config
     When Slurm is asked which topologies it loaded
diff --git a/e2e/acceptance/features/topology_tree.feature b/e2e/acceptance/features/topology_tree.feature
index e9cc1eb33..6792aa205 100644
--- a/e2e/acceptance/features/topology_tree.feature
+++ b/e2e/acceptance/features/topology_tree.feature
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 Feature: Slurm tree-topology scheduling
 
-  @gpu @tree_topology @soperator_version_>=5.0.0
+  # Remove @unstable after worker topology registration is fixed.
+  @gpu @tree_topology @unstable @soperator_version_>=5.0.0
   Scenario: A switch limit rejects a cross-leaf allocation
     Given the cluster is configured with a tree topology spanning multiple leaf switches
     And the operator published the topology config
diff --git a/internal/e2e/values.go b/internal/e2e/values.go
index a6a6bb8dc..cb3ce5b16 100644
--- a/internal/e2e/values.go
+++ b/internal/e2e/values.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func overrideTestValues(tfVars map[string]interface{}, cfg Config) map[string]in
 			"gpu_cluster":      gpuClusterValue(ns.InfinibandFabric),
 			"preemptible":      preemptibleValue(ns.Preemptible),
 			"features":         nil,
-			"create_partition": nil,
+			"create_partition": true,
 			"node_local_jail_submounts": []map[string]interface{}{
 				{
 					"name":            "local-data",
diff --git a/internal/e2e/values_test.go b/internal/e2e/values_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c242aa2e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/e2e/values_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package e2e
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestOverrideTestValuesCreatesWorkerPartitions(t *testing.T) {
+	tfVars := map[string]interface{}{}
+	cfg := Config{
+		Profile: Profile{
+			NodeSets: []NodeSetDef{
+				{Name: "cpu", Platform: "cpu-d3", Preset: "16vcpu-64gb", Size: 1},
+				{Name: "gpu", Platform: "gpu-h100-sxm", Preset: "8gpu-128vcpu-1600gb", Size: 2},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	got := overrideTestValues(tfVars, cfg)
+	workers, ok := got["slurm_nodeset_workers"].([]interface{})
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("slurm_nodeset_workers has type %T, want []interface{}", got["slurm_nodeset_workers"])
+	}
+
+	for i, worker := range workers {
+		values, ok := worker.(map[string]interface{})
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("slurm_nodeset_workers[%d] has type %T, want map[string]interface{}", i, worker)
+		}
+		if create, ok := values["create_partition"].(bool); !ok || !create {
+			t.Errorf("slurm_nodeset_workers[%d].create_partition = %#v, want true", i, values["create_partition"])
+		}
+	}
+}