diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
index deeea5e0d..d31fe25cd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         k8s:
           [
-            v1.31.0,
+            v1.31.1,
             v1.30.4,
             v1.29.8,
             v1.28.13,
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 11eb865e1..127ed9bff 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export PATH := $(BASE_DIR)/$(TOOLS_DIR):$(GO_EXE_PATH):$(PATH)
 
 # Default values for dev cluster
 ifeq ($(K8S_VERSION),)
-K8S_VERSION := v1.29.4
+K8S_VERSION := v1.31.1
 endif
 ifeq ($(CLUSTER_NAME),)
 CLUSTER_NAME := yk8s
@@ -705,14 +705,23 @@ arch:
 	@echo EXEC_ARCH=$(EXEC_ARCH)
 
 # Start dev cluster
+.PHONY: start-cluster
 start-cluster: $(KIND_BIN)
 	@"$(KIND_BIN)" delete cluster --name="$(CLUSTER_NAME)" || :
 	@./scripts/run-e2e-tests.sh -a install -n "$(CLUSTER_NAME)" -v "kindest/node:$(K8S_VERSION)" $(PLUGIN_OPTS)
 
 # Stop dev cluster
+.PHONY: stop-cluster
 stop-cluster: $(KIND_BIN)
 	@"$(KIND_BIN)" delete cluster --name="$(CLUSTER_NAME)"
 
+# Start dev cluster, run e2e tests, stop dev cluster
+.PHONY: kind-e2e
+kind-e2e: $(KIND_BIN)
+	@"$(KIND_BIN)" delete cluster --name="$(CLUSTER_NAME)" || : ; \
+		./scripts/run-e2e-tests.sh -a test -n "$(CLUSTER_NAME)" -v "kindest/node:$(K8S_VERSION)" $(PLUGIN_OPTS) ; STATUS=$$? ; \
+		"$(KIND_BIN)" delete cluster --name="$(CLUSTER_NAME)" || : ; exit $$STATUS
+
 # Run the e2e tests, this assumes yunikorn is running under yunikorn namespace
 .PHONY: e2e_test
 e2e_test: tools
diff --git a/scripts/run-e2e-tests.sh b/scripts/run-e2e-tests.sh
index 53dfc8da8..ede07f976 100755
--- a/scripts/run-e2e-tests.sh
+++ b/scripts/run-e2e-tests.sh
@@ -198,10 +198,10 @@ Examples:
   ${NAME} -a test -n yk8s -v kindest/node:v1.28.13
   ${NAME} -a test -n yk8s -v kindest/node:v1.29.8
   ${NAME} -a test -n yk8s -v kindest/node:v1.30.4
-  ${NAME} -a test -n yk8s -v kindest/node:v1.31.0
+  ${NAME} -a test -n yk8s -v kindest/node:v1.31.1
 
   Use a local helm chart path:
-    ${NAME} -a test -n yk8s -v kindest/node:v1.31.0 -p ../yunikorn-release/helm-charts/yunikorn
+    ${NAME} -a test -n yk8s -v kindest/node:v1.31.1 -p ../yunikorn-release/helm-charts/yunikorn
 EOF
 }