diff --git a/pkg/instance/storage.go b/pkg/instance/storage.go
index 8b515ba..4287a4d 100644
--- a/pkg/instance/storage.go
+++ b/pkg/instance/storage.go
@@ -351,14 +351,14 @@ func (s *storage) deployFiles(ctx context.Context) error {
 		data[keyName] = fileContent
 	}
 
-	// create configmap
-	_, err := s.instance.K8sClient.CreateConfigMap(ctx, s.instance.name, s.instance.execution.Labels(), data)
+	// If the configmap already exists, we update it
+	// This ensures long-running tests and image upgrade tests function correctly.
+	_, err := s.instance.K8sClient.CreateOrUpdateConfigMap(ctx, s.instance.name, s.instance.execution.Labels(), data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return ErrFailedToCreateConfigMap.Wrap(err)
 	}
 
 	s.instance.Logger.WithField("configmap", s.instance.name).Debug("deployed configmap")
-
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/k8s/configmap.go b/pkg/k8s/configmap.go
index da18a4c..b4bd75f 100644
--- a/pkg/k8s/configmap.go
+++ b/pkg/k8s/configmap.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package k8s
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 
 	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	apierrs "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
@@ -37,31 +38,60 @@ func (c *Client) CreateConfigMap(
 		return nil, ErrClientTerminated
 	}
 
-	if err := validateConfigMapName(name); err != nil {
+	if err := validateConfigMap(name, labels, data); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if err := validateLabels(labels); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+
+	cm := prepareConfigMap(c.namespace, name, labels, data)
+	created, err := c.clientset.CoreV1().ConfigMaps(c.namespace).Create(ctx, cm, metav1.CreateOptions{})
+	if err == nil {
+		return created, nil
 	}
-	if err := validateConfigMapKeys(data); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+
+	if apierrs.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
+		return nil, ErrConfigmapAlreadyExists.WithParams(name).Wrap(err)
 	}
+	return nil, ErrCreatingConfigmap.WithParams(name).Wrap(err)
+}
 
-	exists, err := c.ConfigMapExists(ctx, name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+func (c *Client) UpdateConfigMap(
+	ctx context.Context, name string,
+	labels, data map[string]string,
+) (*v1.ConfigMap, error) {
+	if c.terminated {
+		return nil, ErrClientTerminated
 	}
-	if exists {
-		return nil, ErrConfigmapAlreadyExists.WithParams(name)
+
+	if err := validateConfigMap(name, labels, data); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	cm := prepareConfigMap(c.namespace, name, labels, data)
-	created, err := c.clientset.CoreV1().ConfigMaps(c.namespace).Create(ctx, cm, metav1.CreateOptions{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, ErrCreatingConfigmap.WithParams(name).Wrap(err)
+	updated, err := c.clientset.CoreV1().ConfigMaps(c.namespace).Update(ctx, cm, metav1.UpdateOptions{})
+	if err == nil {
+		return updated, nil
+	}
+
+	if apierrs.IsNotFound(err) {
+		return nil, ErrConfigmapDoesNotExist.WithParams(name).Wrap(err)
+	}
+	return nil, ErrUpdatingConfigmap.WithParams(name).Wrap(err)
+}
+
+func (c *Client) CreateOrUpdateConfigMap(
+	ctx context.Context, name string,
+	labels, data map[string]string,
+) (*v1.ConfigMap, error) {
+	updated, err := c.UpdateConfigMap(ctx, name, labels, data)
+	if err == nil {
+		return updated, nil
+	}
+
+	if errors.Is(err, ErrConfigmapDoesNotExist) {
+		return c.CreateConfigMap(ctx, name, labels, data)
 	}
 
-	return created, nil
+	return nil, ErrUpdatingConfigmap.WithParams(name).Wrap(err)
 }
 
 func (c *Client) DeleteConfigMap(ctx context.Context, name string) error {
diff --git a/pkg/k8s/errors.go b/pkg/k8s/errors.go
index 0d0d9ee..6cfa710 100644
--- a/pkg/k8s/errors.go
+++ b/pkg/k8s/errors.go
@@ -136,4 +136,5 @@ var (
 	ErrClientTerminated                = errors.New("ClientTerminated", "terminated by user")
 	ErrListingPods                     = errors.New("ListingPods", "failed to list pods")
 	ErrGetPodStatus                    = errors.New("GetPodStatus", "failed to get pod status for pod %s")
+	ErrUpdatingConfigmap               = errors.New("UpdatingConfigmap", "failed to update configmap %s")
 )
diff --git a/pkg/k8s/types.go b/pkg/k8s/types.go
index 767e35c..9e964da 100644
--- a/pkg/k8s/types.go
+++ b/pkg/k8s/types.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type KubeManager interface {
 	CreateClusterRole(ctx context.Context, name string, labels map[string]string, policyRules []rbacv1.PolicyRule) error
 	CreateClusterRoleBinding(ctx context.Context, name string, labels map[string]string, clusterRole, serviceAccount string) error
 	CreateConfigMap(ctx context.Context, name string, labels, data map[string]string) (*corev1.ConfigMap, error)
+	CreateOrUpdateConfigMap(ctx context.Context, name string, labels, data map[string]string) (*corev1.ConfigMap, error)
 	CreateCustomResource(ctx context.Context, name string, gvr *schema.GroupVersionResource, obj *map[string]interface{}) error
 	CreateDaemonSet(ctx context.Context, name string, labels map[string]string, initContainers []corev1.Container, containers []corev1.Container) (*appv1.DaemonSet, error)
 	CreateNamespace(ctx context.Context, name string) error
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ type KubeManager interface {
 	RunCommandInPod(ctx context.Context, podName, containerName string, cmd []string) (string, error)
 	ConfigMapExists(ctx context.Context, name string) (bool, error)
 	UpdateDaemonSet(ctx context.Context, name string, labels map[string]string, initContainers []corev1.Container, containers []corev1.Container) (*appv1.DaemonSet, error)
+	UpdateConfigMap(ctx context.Context, name string, labels, data map[string]string) (*corev1.ConfigMap, error)
 	WaitForDeployment(ctx context.Context, name string) error
 	WaitForService(ctx context.Context, name string) error
 	Terminate()
diff --git a/pkg/k8s/validate.go b/pkg/k8s/validate.go
index 3eecb73..ee1502e 100644
--- a/pkg/k8s/validate.go
+++ b/pkg/k8s/validate.go
@@ -276,3 +276,13 @@ func validatePorts(ports []int) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func validateConfigMap(name string, labels, data map[string]string) error {
+	if err := validateConfigMapName(name); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := validateLabels(labels); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return validateConfigMapKeys(data)
+}