diff --git a/e2e/util/validation.go b/e2e/util/validation.go
index 3c9be576b..e06a79afb 100644
--- a/e2e/util/validation.go
+++ b/e2e/util/validation.go
@@ -8,32 +8,57 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
+	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 )
 
-func CheckRamenHubPodRunningStatus(k8sClient *kubernetes.Clientset) (bool, string, error) {
+func ValidateRamenHubOperator(k8sClient *kubernetes.Clientset) error {
 	labelSelector := "app=ramen-hub"
 	podIdentifier := "ramen-hub-operator"
 
 	ramenNameSpace, err := GetRamenNameSpace(k8sClient)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, "", err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return CheckPodRunningStatus(k8sClient, ramenNameSpace, labelSelector, podIdentifier)
+	pod, err := FindPod(k8sClient, ramenNameSpace, labelSelector, podIdentifier)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if pod.Status.Phase != "Running" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("ramen hub operator pod %q not running (phase %q)",
+			pod.Name, pod.Status.Phase)
+	}
+
+	Ctx.Log.Info("Ramen hub operator is running", "pod", pod.Name)
+
+	return nil
 }
 
-func CheckRamenSpokePodRunningStatus(k8sClient *kubernetes.Clientset) (bool, string, error) {
+func ValidateRamenDRClusterOperatorPod(k8sClient *kubernetes.Clientset, clusterName string) error {
 	labelSelector := "app=ramen-dr-cluster"
 	podIdentifier := "ramen-dr-cluster-operator"
 
 	ramenNameSpace, err := GetRamenNameSpace(k8sClient)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, "", err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return CheckPodRunningStatus(k8sClient, ramenNameSpace, labelSelector, podIdentifier)
+	pod, err := FindPod(k8sClient, ramenNameSpace, labelSelector, podIdentifier)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if pod.Status.Phase != "Running" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("ramen dr cluster operator pod %q not running (phase %q)",
+			pod.Name, pod.Status.Phase)
+	}
+
+	Ctx.Log.Info("Ramen dr cluster operator is running", "cluster", clusterName, "pod", pod.Name)
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func GetRamenNameSpace(k8sClient *kubernetes.Clientset) (string, error) {
@@ -68,23 +93,25 @@ func IsOpenShiftCluster(k8sClient *kubernetes.Clientset) (bool, error) {
 	return false, nil
 }
 
-// CheckPodRunningStatus checks if there is at least one pod matching the labelSelector
+// FindPod checks if there is at least one pod matching the labelSelector
 // in the given namespace that is in the "Running" phase and contains the podIdentifier in its name.
-func CheckPodRunningStatus(client *kubernetes.Clientset, namespace, labelSelector, podIdentifier string) (
-	bool, string, error,
+func FindPod(client *kubernetes.Clientset, namespace, labelSelector, podIdentifier string) (
+	*v1.Pod, error,
 ) {
 	pods, err := client.CoreV1().Pods(namespace).List(context.Background(), metav1.ListOptions{
 		LabelSelector: labelSelector,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, "", fmt.Errorf("failed to list pods in namespace %s: %v", namespace, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to list pods in namespace %s: %v", namespace, err)
 	}
 
-	for _, pod := range pods.Items {
-		if strings.Contains(pod.Name, podIdentifier) && pod.Status.Phase == "Running" {
-			return true, pod.Name, nil
+	for i := range pods.Items {
+		pod := &pods.Items[i]
+		if strings.Contains(pod.Name, podIdentifier) {
+			return pod, nil
 		}
 	}
 
-	return false, "", nil
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("no pod with labelSelctor %q and identifier %q in namespace %q",
+		labelSelector, podIdentifier, namespace)
 }
diff --git a/e2e/validation_suite_test.go b/e2e/validation_suite_test.go
index 4ca531e4e..a9291aff7 100644
--- a/e2e/validation_suite_test.go
+++ b/e2e/validation_suite_test.go
@@ -11,53 +11,22 @@ import (
 
 func Validate(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Helper()
-
-	if !t.Run("CheckRamenHubOperatorStatus", CheckRamenHubOperatorStatus) {
-		t.Error("CheckRamenHubOperatorStatus failed")
-	}
-
-	if !t.Run("CheckRamenSpokeOperatorStatus", CheckRamenSpokeOperatorStatus) {
-		t.Error("CheckRamenHubOperatorStatus failed")
-	}
-}
-
-func CheckRamenHubOperatorStatus(t *testing.T) {
-	util.Ctx.Log.Info("enter CheckRamenHubOperatorStatus")
-
-	isRunning, podName, err := util.CheckRamenHubPodRunningStatus(util.Ctx.Hub.K8sClientSet)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error(err)
-	}
-
-	if isRunning {
-		util.Ctx.Log.Info("Ramen Hub Operator is running", "pod", podName)
-	} else {
-		t.Error("no running Ramen Hub Operator pod found")
-	}
-}
-
-func CheckRamenSpokeOperatorStatus(t *testing.T) {
-	util.Ctx.Log.Info("enter CheckRamenSpokeOperatorStatus")
-
-	isRunning, podName, err := util.CheckRamenSpokePodRunningStatus(util.Ctx.C1.K8sClientSet)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error(err)
-	}
-
-	if isRunning {
-		util.Ctx.Log.Info("Ramen Spoke Operator is running on cluster 1", "pod", podName)
-	} else {
-		t.Error("no running Ramen Spoke Operator pod on cluster 1")
-	}
-
-	isRunning, podName, err = util.CheckRamenSpokePodRunningStatus(util.Ctx.C2.K8sClientSet)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error(err)
-	}
-
-	if isRunning {
-		util.Ctx.Log.Info("Ramen Spoke Operator is running on cluster 2", "pod", podName)
-	} else {
-		t.Error("no running Ramen Spoke Operator pod on cluster 2")
-	}
+	t.Run("hub", func(t *testing.T) {
+		err := util.ValidateRamenHubOperator(util.Ctx.Hub.K8sClientSet)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("c1", func(t *testing.T) {
+		err := util.ValidateRamenDRClusterOperatorPod(util.Ctx.C1.K8sClientSet, "c1")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("c2", func(t *testing.T) {
+		err := util.ValidateRamenDRClusterOperatorPod(util.Ctx.C2.K8sClientSet, "c2")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	})
 }