diff --git a/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-dalec-custom-builds.yaml b/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-dalec-custom-builds.yaml
index edf4103d911..618e885c186 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-dalec-custom-builds.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-dalec-custom-builds.yaml
@@ -204,7 +204,37 @@ spec:
         [[ -n "${KUBELET_REVISION}" ]] && ANY_REVISION_SET="true"
 
         if [[ "$${ANY_REVISION_SET}" != "true" ]]; then
-          echo "No *_REVISION variables set. Skipping binary replacement."
+          # No dalec revisions set — download official upstream binaries from
+          # dl.k8s.io to ensure binaries match the dalec container image version.
+          TARGET_VERSION="v$${VERSION}"
+
+          echo "============================================================"
+          echo "DALEC IMAGE-ONLY TEST: No dalec binary revisions set."
+          echo "Downloading official upstream binaries ($${TARGET_VERSION})"
+          echo "from dl.k8s.io for version consistency with dalec images."
+          echo "============================================================"
+
+          # Download all binaries to temp files first, then replace
+          DOWNLOAD_DIR=$$(mktemp -d)
+          ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES=("kubeadm" "kubectl" "kubelet")
+          for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+            DL_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${TARGET_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64/$${BINARY}"
+            echo "* downloading $${BINARY} $${TARGET_VERSION} from $${DL_URL}"
+            curl --fail --location --retry 10 --retry-delay 5 "$${DL_URL}" --output "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+            chmod +x "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+          done
+
+          # All downloads succeeded — now stop kubelet and replace binaries
+          systemctl stop kubelet
+          for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+            mv "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}" "/usr/bin/$${BINARY}"
+          done
+          rm -rf "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}"
+          systemctl restart kubelet
+
+          echo "kubeadm version: $(kubeadm version -o=short)"
+          echo "kubectl version: $(kubectl version --client=true)"
+          echo "kubelet version: $(kubelet --version)"
           exit 0
         fi
 
@@ -453,7 +483,37 @@ spec:
           [[ -n "${KUBELET_REVISION}" ]] && ANY_REVISION_SET="true"
 
           if [[ "$${ANY_REVISION_SET}" != "true" ]]; then
-            echo "No *_REVISION variables set. Skipping binary replacement."
+            # No dalec revisions set — download official upstream binaries from
+            # dl.k8s.io to ensure binaries match the dalec container image version.
+            TARGET_VERSION="v$${VERSION}"
+
+            echo "============================================================"
+            echo "DALEC IMAGE-ONLY TEST: No dalec binary revisions set."
+            echo "Downloading official upstream binaries ($${TARGET_VERSION})"
+            echo "from dl.k8s.io for version consistency with dalec images."
+            echo "============================================================"
+
+            # Download all binaries to temp files first, then replace
+            DOWNLOAD_DIR=$$(mktemp -d)
+            ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES=("kubeadm" "kubectl" "kubelet")
+            for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+              DL_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${TARGET_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64/$${BINARY}"
+              echo "* downloading $${BINARY} $${TARGET_VERSION} from $${DL_URL}"
+              curl --fail --location --retry 10 --retry-delay 5 "$${DL_URL}" --output "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+              chmod +x "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+            done
+
+            # All downloads succeeded — now stop kubelet and replace binaries
+            systemctl stop kubelet
+            for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+              mv "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}" "/usr/bin/$${BINARY}"
+            done
+            rm -rf "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}"
+            systemctl restart kubelet
+
+            echo "kubeadm version: $(kubeadm version -o=short)"
+            echo "kubectl version: $(kubectl version --client=true)"
+            echo "kubelet version: $(kubelet --version)"
             exit 0
           fi
 
@@ -817,7 +877,46 @@ spec:
           [[ -n "${KUBELET_REVISION}" ]] && ANY_REVISION_SET="true"
 
           if [[ "$${ANY_REVISION_SET}" != "true" ]]; then
-            echo "No *_REVISION variables set. Skipping binary replacement."
+            # No dalec revisions set — download official upstream binaries from
+            # dl.k8s.io to ensure binaries match the dalec container image version.
+            TARGET_VERSION="v$${VERSION}"
+
+            echo "============================================================"
+            echo "DALEC IMAGE-ONLY TEST: No dalec binary revisions set."
+            echo "Downloading official upstream binaries ($${TARGET_VERSION})"
+            echo "from dl.k8s.io for version consistency with dalec images."
+            echo "============================================================"
+
+            # Download all binaries to temp files first, then replace
+            DOWNLOAD_DIR=$$(mktemp -d)
+            ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES=("kubeadm" "kubectl" "kubelet")
+            for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+              DL_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${TARGET_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64/$${BINARY}"
+              echo "* downloading $${BINARY} $${TARGET_VERSION} from $${DL_URL}"
+              curl --fail --location --retry 10 --retry-delay 5 "$${DL_URL}" --output "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+              chmod +x "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+            done
+
+            # All downloads succeeded — now stop kubelet and replace binaries
+            systemctl stop kubelet
+            for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+              mv "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}" "/usr/bin/$${BINARY}"
+            done
+            rm -rf "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}"
+
+            # Clean up stale kubelet flags in /etc/sysconfig/kubelet.
+            # The gallery image may ship flags removed in newer k8s versions
+            # (e.g. --pod-infra-container-image was removed in v1.35).
+            if [ -f /etc/sysconfig/kubelet ]; then
+              echo "Sanitizing /etc/sysconfig/kubelet for $${TARGET_VERSION}"
+              sed -i 's/--pod-infra-container-image=[^ ]*//g' /etc/sysconfig/kubelet
+            fi
+
+            systemctl restart kubelet
+
+            echo "kubeadm version: $(kubeadm version -o=short)"
+            echo "kubectl version: $(kubectl version --client=true)"
+            echo "kubelet version: $(kubelet --version)"
             exit 0
           fi
 
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/azl3-machine-deployment.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/azl3-machine-deployment.yaml
index 93a552ccf3c..37ab535586d 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/azl3-machine-deployment.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/azl3-machine-deployment.yaml
@@ -110,7 +110,46 @@ spec:
           [[ -n "${KUBELET_REVISION}" ]] && ANY_REVISION_SET="true"
 
           if [[ "$${ANY_REVISION_SET}" != "true" ]]; then
-            echo "No *_REVISION variables set. Skipping binary replacement."
+            # No dalec revisions set — download official upstream binaries from
+            # dl.k8s.io to ensure binaries match the dalec container image version.
+            TARGET_VERSION="v$${VERSION}"
+
+            echo "============================================================"
+            echo "DALEC IMAGE-ONLY TEST: No dalec binary revisions set."
+            echo "Downloading official upstream binaries ($${TARGET_VERSION})"
+            echo "from dl.k8s.io for version consistency with dalec images."
+            echo "============================================================"
+
+            # Download all binaries to temp files first, then replace
+            DOWNLOAD_DIR=$$(mktemp -d)
+            ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES=("kubeadm" "kubectl" "kubelet")
+            for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+              DL_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${TARGET_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64/$${BINARY}"
+              echo "* downloading $${BINARY} $${TARGET_VERSION} from $${DL_URL}"
+              curl --fail --location --retry 10 --retry-delay 5 "$${DL_URL}" --output "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+              chmod +x "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+            done
+
+            # All downloads succeeded — now stop kubelet and replace binaries
+            systemctl stop kubelet
+            for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+              mv "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}" "/usr/bin/$${BINARY}"
+            done
+            rm -rf "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}"
+
+            # Clean up stale kubelet flags in /etc/sysconfig/kubelet.
+            # The gallery image may ship flags removed in newer k8s versions
+            # (e.g. --pod-infra-container-image was removed in v1.35).
+            if [ -f /etc/sysconfig/kubelet ]; then
+              echo "Sanitizing /etc/sysconfig/kubelet for $${TARGET_VERSION}"
+              sed -i 's/--pod-infra-container-image=[^ ]*//g' /etc/sysconfig/kubelet
+            fi
+
+            systemctl restart kubelet
+
+            echo "kubeadm version: $(kubeadm version -o=short)"
+            echo "kubectl version: $(kubectl version --client=true)"
+            echo "kubelet version: $(kubelet --version)"
             exit 0
           fi
 
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/control-plane-custom-builds.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/control-plane-custom-builds.yaml
index f636c822e73..96b020d347f 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/control-plane-custom-builds.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/control-plane-custom-builds.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,37 @@
       [[ -n "${KUBELET_REVISION}" ]] && ANY_REVISION_SET="true"
 
       if [[ "$${ANY_REVISION_SET}" != "true" ]]; then
-        echo "No *_REVISION variables set. Skipping binary replacement."
+        # No dalec revisions set — download official upstream binaries from
+        # dl.k8s.io to ensure binaries match the dalec container image version.
+        TARGET_VERSION="v$${VERSION}"
+
+        echo "============================================================"
+        echo "DALEC IMAGE-ONLY TEST: No dalec binary revisions set."
+        echo "Downloading official upstream binaries ($${TARGET_VERSION})"
+        echo "from dl.k8s.io for version consistency with dalec images."
+        echo "============================================================"
+
+        # Download all binaries to temp files first, then replace
+        DOWNLOAD_DIR=$$(mktemp -d)
+        ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES=("kubeadm" "kubectl" "kubelet")
+        for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+          DL_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${TARGET_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64/$${BINARY}"
+          echo "* downloading $${BINARY} $${TARGET_VERSION} from $${DL_URL}"
+          curl --fail --location --retry 10 --retry-delay 5 "$${DL_URL}" --output "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+          chmod +x "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+        done
+
+        # All downloads succeeded — now stop kubelet and replace binaries
+        systemctl stop kubelet
+        for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+          mv "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}" "/usr/bin/$${BINARY}"
+        done
+        rm -rf "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}"
+        systemctl restart kubelet
+
+        echo "kubeadm version: $(kubeadm version -o=short)"
+        echo "kubectl version: $(kubectl version --client=true)"
+        echo "kubelet version: $(kubelet --version)"
         exit 0
       fi
 
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-builds.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-builds.yaml
index d869355c52d..77850b73921 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-builds.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-dalec-custom-builds/patches/kubeadm-bootstrap-custom-builds.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,37 @@
       [[ -n "${KUBELET_REVISION}" ]] && ANY_REVISION_SET="true"
 
       if [[ "$${ANY_REVISION_SET}" != "true" ]]; then
-        echo "No *_REVISION variables set. Skipping binary replacement."
+        # No dalec revisions set — download official upstream binaries from
+        # dl.k8s.io to ensure binaries match the dalec container image version.
+        TARGET_VERSION="v$${VERSION}"
+
+        echo "============================================================"
+        echo "DALEC IMAGE-ONLY TEST: No dalec binary revisions set."
+        echo "Downloading official upstream binaries ($${TARGET_VERSION})"
+        echo "from dl.k8s.io for version consistency with dalec images."
+        echo "============================================================"
+
+        # Download all binaries to temp files first, then replace
+        DOWNLOAD_DIR=$$(mktemp -d)
+        ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES=("kubeadm" "kubectl" "kubelet")
+        for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+          DL_URL="https://dl.k8s.io/release/$${TARGET_VERSION}/bin/linux/amd64/$${BINARY}"
+          echo "* downloading $${BINARY} $${TARGET_VERSION} from $${DL_URL}"
+          curl --fail --location --retry 10 --retry-delay 5 "$${DL_URL}" --output "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+          chmod +x "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}"
+        done
+
+        # All downloads succeeded — now stop kubelet and replace binaries
+        systemctl stop kubelet
+        for BINARY in "$${ALL_UPSTREAM_BINARIES[@]}"; do
+          mv "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}/$${BINARY}" "/usr/bin/$${BINARY}"
+        done
+        rm -rf "$${DOWNLOAD_DIR}"
+        systemctl restart kubelet
+
+        echo "kubeadm version: $(kubeadm version -o=short)"
+        echo "kubectl version: $(kubectl version --client=true)"
+        echo "kubelet version: $(kubelet --version)"
         exit 0
       fi