diff --git a/tests/e2e/tests/misc/browsers.ts b/tests/e2e/tests/misc/browsers.ts
index 14c085abaac5..e21031b28b63 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/tests/misc/browsers.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/tests/misc/browsers.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ export default async function () {
     throw new Error('SauceLabs is not configured.');
   }
 
+  await ng('generate', 'private-e2e', '--related-app-name', 'test-project');
+
   // Workaround for https://github.com/angular/angular/issues/32192
   await replaceInFile('src/app/app.html', /class="material-icons"/g, '');
 
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ export default async function () {
     await ng(
       'e2e',
       'test-project',
+      '--no-webdriver-update',
       '--protractor-config=e2e/protractor-saucelabs.conf.js',
       '--dev-server-target=',
     );
diff --git a/tests/e2e/tests/protractor/test-fails.ts b/tests/e2e/tests/protractor/test-fails.ts
index e185975b6391..58c408f510ce 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/tests/protractor/test-fails.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/tests/protractor/test-fails.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
-import { execAndCaptureError } from '../../utils/process';
+import { execAndCaptureError, ng } from '../../utils/process';
 import { updateJsonFile } from '../../utils/project';
 
 export default async function () {
-  // Revert the `private-protractor` builder name back to the previous `protractor`.
+  // Setup `protractor` builder.
   await updateJsonFile('angular.json', (config) => {
-    config.projects['test-project'].architect['e2e'].builder =
-      '@angular-devkit/build-angular:protractor';
+    config.projects['test-project'].architect['e2e'] = {
+      builder: '@angular-devkit/build-angular:protractor',
+    };
   });
 
   const error = await execAndCaptureError('ng', ['e2e']);
diff --git a/tests/e2e/utils/project.ts b/tests/e2e/utils/project.ts
index 58e249d19895..0deb6ea48262 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/utils/project.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/utils/project.ts
@@ -52,9 +52,7 @@ export async function prepareProjectForE2e(name: string) {
 
   console.log(`Project ${name} created... Installing packages.`);
   await installWorkspacePackages();
-  await ng('generate', 'private-e2e', '--related-app-name', name);
 
-  await useCIChrome(name, 'e2e');
   await useCIChrome(name, '');
   await useCIDefaults(name);
 
@@ -137,12 +135,6 @@ export function useCIDefaults(projectName = 'test-project'): Promise<void> {
     const appTargets = project.targets || project.architect;
     appTargets.build.options.progress = false;
     appTargets.test.options.progress = false;
-    if (appTargets.e2e) {
-      // Disable auto-updating webdriver in e2e.
-      appTargets.e2e.options.webdriverUpdate = false;
-      // Use a random port in e2e.
-      appTargets.e2e.options.port = 0;
-    }
 
     if (appTargets.serve) {
       // Use a random port in serve.
@@ -153,25 +145,6 @@ export function useCIDefaults(projectName = 'test-project'): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 export async function useCIChrome(projectName: string, projectDir = ''): Promise<void> {
-  const protractorConf = path.join(projectDir, 'protractor.conf.js');
-  if (fs.existsSync(protractorConf)) {
-    // Ensure the headless sandboxed chrome is configured in the protractor config
-    await replaceInFile(
-      protractorConf,
-      `browserName: 'chrome'`,
-      `browserName: 'chrome',
-      chromeOptions: {
-        args: ['--headless', '--no-sandbox', '--disable-gpu', '--disable-dev-shm-usage'],
-        binary: String.raw\`${process.env.CHROME_BIN}\`,
-      }`,
-    );
-    await replaceInFile(
-      protractorConf,
-      'directConnect: true,',
-      `directConnect: true, chromeDriver: String.raw\`${process.env.CHROMEDRIVER_BIN}\`,`,
-    );
-  }
-
   const karmaConf = path.join(projectDir, 'karma.conf.js');
   if (fs.existsSync(karmaConf)) {
     // Ensure the headless sandboxed chrome is configured in the karma config