diff --git a/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_connect_namespaces_test.go b/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_connect_namespaces_test.go
index 618248c6a9..c660bf9d9c 100644
--- a/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_connect_namespaces_test.go
+++ b/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_connect_namespaces_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -116,50 +117,67 @@ func TestPeering_ConnectNamespaces(t *testing.T) {
 				"dns.enableRedirection": strconv.FormatBool(cfg.EnableTransparentProxy),
 			}
 
-			staticServerPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
-				"global.datacenter": staticServerPeer,
-			}
+			var wg sync.WaitGroup
+			releaseName := helpers.RandomName()
 
-			if !cfg.UseKind {
-				staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
-			}
+			var staticServerPeerCluster *consul.HelmCluster
+			wg.Add(1)
+			go func() {
+				staticServerPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
+					"global.datacenter": staticServerPeer,
+				}
 
-			// On Kind, there are no load balancers but since all clusters
-			// share the same node network (docker bridge), we can use
-			// a NodePort service so that we can access node(s) in a different Kind cluster.
-			if cfg.UseKind {
-				staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
-				staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
-				staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
-			}
+				if !cfg.UseKind {
+					staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
+				}
 
-			releaseName := helpers.RandomName()
+				// On Kind, there are no load balancers but since all clusters
+				// share the same node network (docker bridge), we can use
+				// a NodePort service so that we can access node(s) in a different Kind cluster.
+				if cfg.UseKind {
+					staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
+					staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
+					staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
+				}
 
-			helpers.MergeMaps(staticServerPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
+				helpers.MergeMaps(staticServerPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
 
-			// Install the first peer where static-server will be deployed in the static-server kubernetes context.
-			staticServerPeerCluster := consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticServerPeerHelmValues, staticServerPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
-			staticServerPeerCluster.Create(t)
+				// Install the first peer where static-server will be deployed in the static-server kubernetes context.
+				staticServerPeerCluster = consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticServerPeerHelmValues, staticServerPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
+				staticServerPeerCluster.Create(t)
 
-			staticClientPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
-				"global.datacenter": staticClientPeer,
-			}
+				wg.Done()
+			}()
 
-			if !cfg.UseKind {
-				staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
-			}
+			var staticClientPeerCluster *consul.HelmCluster
+			wg.Add(1)
+			go func() {
+				staticClientPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
+					"global.datacenter": staticClientPeer,
+				}
 
-			if cfg.UseKind {
-				staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
-				staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
-				staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
-			}
+				if !cfg.UseKind {
+					staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
+				}
+
+				if cfg.UseKind {
+					staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
+					staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
+					staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
+				}
+
+				helpers.MergeMaps(staticClientPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
+
+				// Install the second peer where static-client will be deployed in the static-client kubernetes context.
+				staticClientPeerCluster = consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticClientPeerHelmValues, staticClientPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
+				staticClientPeerCluster.Create(t)
 
-			helpers.MergeMaps(staticClientPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
+				wg.Done()
+			}()
 
-			// Install the second peer where static-client will be deployed in the static-client kubernetes context.
-			staticClientPeerCluster := consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticClientPeerHelmValues, staticClientPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
-			staticClientPeerCluster.Create(t)
+			// Wait for the clusters to start up
+			logger.Log(t, "waiting for clusters to start up . . .")
+			wg.Wait()
 
 			// Create Mesh resource to use mesh gateways.
 			logger.Log(t, "creating mesh config")
diff --git a/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_connect_test.go b/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_connect_test.go
index 60d038d5b8..144bb26495 100644
--- a/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_connect_test.go
+++ b/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_connect_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ func TestPeering_Connect(t *testing.T) {
 			staticServerPeerClusterContext := env.DefaultContext(t)
 			staticClientPeerClusterContext := env.Context(t, 1)
 
+			// Create Clusters starting with our first cluster
 			commonHelmValues := map[string]string{
 				"global.peering.enabled": "true",
 
@@ -78,53 +80,69 @@ func TestPeering_Connect(t *testing.T) {
 				"dns.enableRedirection": strconv.FormatBool(cfg.EnableTransparentProxy),
 			}
 
-			staticServerPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
-				"global.datacenter":                        staticServerPeer,
-				"terminatingGateways.enabled":              "true",
-				"terminatingGateways.gateways[0].name":     "terminating-gateway",
-				"terminatingGateways.gateways[0].replicas": "1",
-			}
+			var wg sync.WaitGroup
+			releaseName := helpers.RandomName()
 
-			if !cfg.UseKind {
-				staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
-			}
+			var staticServerPeerCluster *consul.HelmCluster
+			wg.Add(1)
+			go func() {
+				staticServerPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
+					"global.datacenter":                        staticServerPeer,
+					"terminatingGateways.enabled":              "true",
+					"terminatingGateways.gateways[0].name":     "terminating-gateway",
+					"terminatingGateways.gateways[0].replicas": "1",
+				}
 
-			// On Kind, there are no load balancers but since all clusters
-			// share the same node network (docker bridge), we can use
-			// a NodePort service so that we can access node(s) in a different Kind cluster.
-			if cfg.UseKind {
-				staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
-				staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
-				staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
-			}
+				if !cfg.UseKind {
+					staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
+				}
 
-			releaseName := helpers.RandomName()
+				// On Kind, there are no load balancers but since all clusters
+				// share the same node network (docker bridge), we can use
+				// a NodePort service so that we can access node(s) in a different Kind cluster.
+				if cfg.UseKind {
+					staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
+					staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
+					staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
+				}
 
-			helpers.MergeMaps(staticServerPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
+				helpers.MergeMaps(staticServerPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
 
-			// Install the first peer where static-server will be deployed in the static-server kubernetes context.
-			staticServerPeerCluster := consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticServerPeerHelmValues, staticServerPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
-			staticServerPeerCluster.Create(t)
+				// Install the first peer where static-server will be deployed in the static-server kubernetes context.
+				staticServerPeerCluster = consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticServerPeerHelmValues, staticServerPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
+				staticServerPeerCluster.Create(t)
+				wg.Done()
+			}()
 
-			staticClientPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
-				"global.datacenter": staticClientPeer,
-			}
+			var staticClientPeerCluster *consul.HelmCluster
+			wg.Add(1)
+			go func() {
+				// Create a second cluster to be peered with
+				staticClientPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
+					"global.datacenter": staticClientPeer,
+				}
 
-			if !cfg.UseKind {
-				staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
-			}
+				if !cfg.UseKind {
+					staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
+				}
 
-			if cfg.UseKind {
-				staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
-				staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
-				staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
-			}
+				if cfg.UseKind {
+					staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
+					staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
+					staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
+				}
+
+				helpers.MergeMaps(staticClientPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
 
-			helpers.MergeMaps(staticClientPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
+				// Install the second peer where static-client will be deployed in the static-client kubernetes context.
+				staticClientPeerCluster = consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticClientPeerHelmValues, staticClientPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
+				staticClientPeerCluster.Create(t)
+				wg.Done()
+			}()
 
-			// Install the second peer where static-client will be deployed in the static-client kubernetes context.
-			staticClientPeerCluster := consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticClientPeerHelmValues, staticClientPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
-			staticClientPeerCluster.Create(t)
+			// Wait for the clusters to start up
+			logger.Log(t, "waiting for clusters to start up . . .")
+			wg.Wait()
 
 			// Create Mesh resource to use mesh gateways.
 			logger.Log(t, "creating mesh config")
@@ -350,7 +368,7 @@ func TestPeering_Connect(t *testing.T) {
 				// If ACLs are enabled, test that deny intentions prevent connections.
 				if c.ACLsEnabled {
 					logger.Log(t, "testing intentions prevent connections through the terminating gateway")
-					k8s.CheckStaticServerConnectionFailing(t, staticClientOpts, staticClientName, externalServerHostnameURL)
+					k8s.CheckStaticServerHTTPConnectionFailing(t, staticClientOpts, staticClientName, externalServerHostnameURL)
 
 					logger.Log(t, "adding intentions to allow traffic from client ==> server")
 					terminatinggateway.AddIntention(t, staticServerPeerClient, staticClientPeer, "", staticClientName, "", externalServerHostnameID)
diff --git a/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_gateway_test.go b/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_gateway_test.go
index 3ba04980a9..5ccb2b3461 100644
--- a/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_gateway_test.go
+++ b/acceptance/tests/peering/peering_gateway_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package peering
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -63,50 +64,65 @@ func TestPeering_Gateway(t *testing.T) {
 		"dns.enabled": "true",
 	}
 
-	staticServerPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
-		"global.datacenter": staticServerPeer,
-	}
-
-	if !cfg.UseKind {
-		staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
-	}
-
-	// On Kind, there are no load balancers but since all clusters
-	// share the same node network (docker bridge), we can use
-	// a NodePort service so that we can access node(s) in a different Kind cluster.
-	if cfg.UseKind {
-		staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
-		staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
-		staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
-	}
-
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	releaseName := helpers.RandomName()
 
-	helpers.MergeMaps(staticServerPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
-
-	// Install the first peer where static-server will be deployed in the static-server kubernetes context.
-	staticServerPeerCluster := consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticServerPeerHelmValues, staticServerPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
-	staticServerPeerCluster.Create(t)
-
-	staticClientPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
-		"global.datacenter": staticClientPeer,
-	}
-
-	if !cfg.UseKind {
-		staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
-	}
-
-	if cfg.UseKind {
-		staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
-		staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
-		staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
-	}
-
-	helpers.MergeMaps(staticClientPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
-
-	// Install the second peer where static-client will be deployed in the static-client kubernetes context.
-	staticClientPeerCluster := consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticClientPeerHelmValues, staticClientPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
-	staticClientPeerCluster.Create(t)
+	var staticServerPeerCluster *consul.HelmCluster
+	wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		staticServerPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
+			"global.datacenter": staticServerPeer,
+		}
+
+		if !cfg.UseKind {
+			staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
+		}
+
+		// On Kind, there are no load balancers but since all clusters
+		// share the same node network (docker bridge), we can use
+		// a NodePort service so that we can access node(s) in a different Kind cluster.
+		if cfg.UseKind {
+			staticServerPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
+			staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
+			staticServerPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
+		}
+
+		helpers.MergeMaps(staticServerPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
+
+		// Install the first peer where static-server will be deployed in the static-server kubernetes context.
+		staticServerPeerCluster = consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticServerPeerHelmValues, staticServerPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
+		staticServerPeerCluster.Create(t)
+		wg.Done()
+	}()
+
+	var staticClientPeerCluster *consul.HelmCluster
+	wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		staticClientPeerHelmValues := map[string]string{
+			"global.datacenter": staticClientPeer,
+		}
+
+		if !cfg.UseKind {
+			staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.replicas"] = "3"
+		}
+
+		if cfg.UseKind {
+			staticClientPeerHelmValues["server.exposeGossipAndRPCPorts"] = "true"
+			staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.type"] = "NodePort"
+			staticClientPeerHelmValues["meshGateway.service.nodePort"] = "30100"
+		}
+
+		helpers.MergeMaps(staticClientPeerHelmValues, commonHelmValues)
+
+		// Install the second peer where static-client will be deployed in the static-client kubernetes context.
+		staticClientPeerCluster = consul.NewHelmCluster(t, staticClientPeerHelmValues, staticClientPeerClusterContext, cfg, releaseName)
+		staticClientPeerCluster.Create(t)
+		wg.Done()
+	}()
+
+	// Wait for the clusters to start up
+	logger.Log(t, "waiting for clusters to start up . . .")
+	wg.Wait()
 
 	// Create Mesh resource to use mesh gateways.
 	logger.Log(t, "creating mesh config")