diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/start_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/start_test.go
index 6832c39415..c1660ca2c4 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/start_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/start_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ var _ = Describe("podman machine start", func() {
 		Expect(session.errorToString()).To(ContainSubstring("VM does not exist"))
 	})
 
-	It("start machine already started", func() {
+	It("start machine already started and stop machine already stopped", func() {
 		name := randomString()
 		i := new(initMachine)
 		machineTestBuilderInit := mb.setName(name).setCmd(i.withImage(mb.imagePath))
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ var _ = Describe("podman machine start", func() {
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(session).To(Exit(0))
 
+		starttime := time.Now()
 		s := new(startMachine)
 		// suppress output with no info and check for that.
 		startSession, err := mb.setCmd(s.withNoInfo()).run()
@@ -52,6 +53,26 @@ var _ = Describe("podman machine start", func() {
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(startSession).To(Exit(125))
 		Expect(startSession.errorToString()).To(ContainSubstring(fmt.Sprintf("Error: unable to start %q: already running", machineTestBuilderInit.name)))
+
+		stop := new(stopMachine)
+		stopSession, err := mb.setCmd(stop).run()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(stopSession).To(Exit(0))
+
+		// Stopping it again should not result in an error
+		stopAgain, err := mb.setCmd(stop).run()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(stopAgain).To(Exit(0))
+		Expect(stopAgain.outputToString()).To(ContainSubstring(fmt.Sprintf("Machine \"%s\" stopped successfully", name)))
+
+		// Stopping a machine should update the last up time
+		inspect := new(inspectMachine)
+		inspectSession, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(inspect.withFormat("{{.LastUp.Format \"2006-01-02T15:04:05Z07:00\"}}")).run()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(inspectSession).To(Exit(0))
+		lastupTime, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, inspectSession.outputToString())
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(lastupTime).To(BeTemporally(">", starttime))
 	})
 
 	It("start machine with conflict on SSH port", func() {
diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/stop_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/stop_test.go
index e026386622..6269e60f35 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/stop_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/stop_test.go
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 package e2e_test
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-	"time"
-
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega/gexec"
@@ -17,33 +14,4 @@ var _ = Describe("podman machine stop", func() {
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(session).To(Exit(125))
 	})
-
-	It("Stop running machine", func() {
-		name := randomString()
-		i := new(initMachine)
-		starttime := time.Now()
-		session, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(i.withImage(mb.imagePath).withNow()).run()
-		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(session).To(Exit(0))
-
-		stop := new(stopMachine)
-		stopSession, err := mb.setCmd(stop).run()
-		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(stopSession).To(Exit(0))
-
-		// Stopping it again should not result in an error
-		stopAgain, err := mb.setCmd(stop).run()
-		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(stopAgain).To(Exit(0))
-		Expect(stopAgain.outputToString()).To(ContainSubstring(fmt.Sprintf("Machine \"%s\" stopped successfully", name)))
-
-		// Stopping a machine should update the last up time
-		inspect := new(inspectMachine)
-		inspectSession, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(inspect.withFormat("{{.LastUp.Format \"2006-01-02T15:04:05Z07:00\"}}")).run()
-		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(inspectSession).To(Exit(0))
-		lastupTime, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, inspectSession.outputToString())
-		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-		Expect(lastupTime).To(BeTemporally(">", starttime))
-	})
 })