diff --git a/e2e/framework/machineset.go b/e2e/framework/machineset.go
index bfc0249c0..c51b5bf93 100644
--- a/e2e/framework/machineset.go
+++ b/e2e/framework/machineset.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func DeleteMachineSets(ctx context.Context, cl client.Client, machineSets ...*cl
 // MachineSet to enter the "Running" phase, and for all nodes belonging to those
 // Machines to be ready.
 func WaitForMachineSet(cl client.Client, name string, namespace string) {
-	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for MachineSet machines %q to enter Running phase", name))
+	By(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting for CAPI MachineSet machines %q to enter Running phase", name))
 
 	machineSet := GetMachineSet(cl, name, namespace)
 
diff --git a/e2e/machine_migration_helpers.go b/e2e/machine_migration_helpers.go
index 8626d9745..2ca1835af 100644
--- a/e2e/machine_migration_helpers.go
+++ b/e2e/machine_migration_helpers.go
@@ -23,7 +23,17 @@ import (
 
 func createCAPIMachine(ctx context.Context, cl client.Client, machineName string) *clusterv1beta1.Machine {
 	Expect(machineName).NotTo(BeEmpty(), "Machine name cannot be empty")
-	capiMachineList := capiframework.GetMachines(cl)
+
+	workerLabelSelector := metav1.LabelSelector{
+		MatchExpressions: []metav1.LabelSelectorRequirement{
+			{
+				Key:      clusterv1beta1.MachineControlPlaneLabel,
+				Operator: metav1.LabelSelectorOpDoesNotExist,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	capiMachineList := capiframework.GetMachines(cl, &workerLabelSelector)
 	// The test requires at least one existing CAPI machine to act as a reference for creating a new one.
 	Expect(capiMachineList).NotTo(BeEmpty(), "Should have found CAPI machines in the openshift-cluster-api namespace to use as a reference for creating a new one")
 
diff --git a/e2e/machineset_migration_mapi_authoritative_test.go b/e2e/machineset_migration_mapi_authoritative_test.go
index d1a464a1d..2128e8b11 100644
--- a/e2e/machineset_migration_mapi_authoritative_test.go
+++ b/e2e/machineset_migration_mapi_authoritative_test.go
@@ -195,7 +195,6 @@ var _ = Describe("[sig-cluster-lifecycle][OCPFeatureGate:MachineAPIMigration] Ma
 			It("should succeed scaling down CAPI MachineSet to 1, after the switch of AuthoritativeAPI to ClusterAPI", func() {
 				By("Scaling down CAPI MachineSet to 1")
 				capiframework.ScaleCAPIMachineSet(mapiMSAuthMAPIName, 1, capiframework.CAPINamespace)
-				capiframework.WaitForMachineSet(cl, mapiMSAuthMAPIName, capiframework.CAPINamespace)
 
 				By("Verifying both CAPI MachineSet and its MAPI MachineSet mirror are scaled down to 1")
 				verifyMachinesetReplicas(capiMachineSet, 1)
diff --git a/pkg/util/sync.go b/pkg/util/sync.go
index 410c178ad..b3dbeade9 100644
--- a/pkg/util/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/util/sync.go
@@ -206,6 +206,10 @@ func CAPIMachineStatusEqual(a, b clusterv1beta1.MachineStatus) map[string]any {
 		diff[".nodeInfo"] = diffNodeInfo
 	}
 
+	if diffNodeRef := deep.Equal(a.NodeRef, b.NodeRef); len(diffNodeRef) > 0 {
+		diff[".nodeRef"] = diffNodeRef
+	}
+
 	if diffConditions := compareCAPIV1Beta1Conditions(a.Conditions, b.Conditions); len(diffConditions) > 0 {
 		diff[".conditions"] = diffConditions
 	}