diff --git a/ci-operator/config/openshift/cluster-node-tuning-operator/openshift-cluster-node-tuning-operator-main.yaml b/ci-operator/config/openshift/cluster-node-tuning-operator/openshift-cluster-node-tuning-operator-main.yaml
index 0646c6d315b1f..6739caa1244ab 100644
--- a/ci-operator/config/openshift/cluster-node-tuning-operator/openshift-cluster-node-tuning-operator-main.yaml
+++ b/ci-operator/config/openshift/cluster-node-tuning-operator/openshift-cluster-node-tuning-operator-main.yaml
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ tests:
     - as: test
       cli: latest
       commands: "export RESERVED_CPU_SET=\"0\"\nexport ISOLATED_CPU_SET=\"1-5\"\nexport
-        CLUSTER=mcp-only \nmake cluster-deploy-pao && make pao-functests"
+        CLUSTER=mcp-only\nexport GINKGO_LABEL_FILTER='!slow'\nmake cluster-deploy-pao && make pao-functests"
       from: src
       resources:
         requests: