diff --git a/.github/workflows/component-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/component-tests.yaml
index e1dfeea90..6c45625f0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/component-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/component-tests.yaml
@@ -79,10 +79,10 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Set up Kind
         run: |
-          curl -Lo ./kind https://kind.sigs.k8s.io/dl/v0.20.0/kind-$(uname)-amd64
+          curl -Lo ./kind https://kind.sigs.k8s.io/dl/v0.31.0/kind-linux-amd64
           chmod +x ./kind
           ./kind create cluster
-          curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/v1.21.0/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl
+          curl -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/release/v1.35.0/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl"
           chmod +x ./kubectl
           sudo mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin/kubectl
       - name: Install Helm and Kubectl
diff --git a/tests/component_test.go b/tests/component_test.go
index cdede98ff..380f32576 100644
--- a/tests/component_test.go
+++ b/tests/component_test.go
@@ -357,22 +357,22 @@ func Test_07_RuleBindingApplyTest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// valid
-	exitCode := testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "apply", "-f", ruleBindingPath("all-valid.yaml"))
+	exitCode := testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "apply", "--validate=false", "-f", ruleBindingPath("all-valid.yaml"))
 	assert.Equal(t, 0, exitCode, "Error applying valid rule binding")
 	exitCode = testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "delete", "-f", ruleBindingPath("all-valid.yaml"))
 	require.Equal(t, 0, exitCode, "Error deleting valid rule binding")
 
 	// duplicate fields
 	file := ruleBindingPath("dup-fields-name-tag.yaml")
-	exitCode = testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "apply", "-f", file)
+	exitCode = testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "apply", "--validate=false", "-f", file)
 	assert.NotEqualf(t, 0, exitCode, "Expected error when applying rule binding '%s'", file)
 
 	file = ruleBindingPath("dup-fields-name-id.yaml")
-	exitCode = testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "apply", "-f", file)
+	exitCode = testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "apply", "--validate=false", "-f", file)
 	assert.NotEqualf(t, 0, exitCode, "Expected error when applying rule binding '%s'", file)
 
 	file = ruleBindingPath("dup-fields-id-tag.yaml")
-	exitCode = testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "apply", "-f", file)
+	exitCode = testutils.RunCommand("kubectl", "apply", "--validate=false", "-f", file)
 	assert.NotEqualf(t, 0, exitCode, "Expected error when applying rule binding '%s'", file)
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/testutils/utils.go b/tests/testutils/utils.go
index 1ba07ba02..1e39599cc 100644
--- a/tests/testutils/utils.go
+++ b/tests/testutils/utils.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package testutils
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os/exec"
 )
@@ -9,10 +11,14 @@ import (
 func RunCommand(name string, args ...string) int {
 	cmd := exec.Command(name, args...)
 	cmd.Stdout = io.Discard
-	cmd.Stderr = io.Discard
+	var stderr bytes.Buffer
+	cmd.Stderr = &stderr
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		var exiterr *exec.ExitError
 		if errors.As(err, &exiterr) {
+			if stderr.Len() > 0 {
+				fmt.Printf("Command '%s %v' failed: %s\n", name, args, stderr.String())
+			}
 			return exiterr.ExitCode()
 		}
 	}