diff --git a/internal/cmd/manager/instance/run/cmd.go b/internal/cmd/manager/instance/run/cmd.go
index bd6958aecc..07cd1fea0c 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/manager/instance/run/cmd.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/manager/instance/run/cmd.go
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ func runSubCommand(ctx context.Context, instance *postgres.Instance) error {
 		For(&apiv1.Publication{}).
 		Complete(publicationReconciler)
 	if err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "unable to create publication controller")
+		contextLogger.Error(err, "unable to create publication controller")
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ func runSubCommand(ctx context.Context, instance *postgres.Instance) error {
 		For(&apiv1.Subscription{}).
 		Complete(subscriptionReconciler)
 	if err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "unable to create subscription controller")
+		contextLogger.Error(err, "unable to create subscription controller")
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/declarative_pub_sub_test.go b/tests/e2e/declarative_pub_sub_test.go
index 760d32515d..4756586321 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/declarative_pub_sub_test.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/declarative_pub_sub_test.go
@@ -86,20 +86,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Declarative publication and subscription test", Label(tests.La
 			})
 		})
 
-		assertDatabaseExists := func(namespace, primaryPod, dbname string) {
-			Eventually(func(g Gomega) {
-				stdout, _, err := env.ExecQueryInInstancePod(
-					utils.PodLocator{
-						Namespace: namespace,
-						PodName:   primaryPod,
-					},
-					"postgres",
-					"\\l")
-				g.Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-				g.Expect(stdout).Should(ContainSubstring(dbname))
-			}, 300).Should(Succeed())
-		}
-
 		assertPublicationExists := func(namespace, primaryPod string, pub *apiv1.Publication) {
 			query := fmt.Sprintf("select count(*) from pg_publication where pubname = '%s'",
 				pub.Spec.Name)
@@ -132,7 +118,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Declarative publication and subscription test", Label(tests.La
 			}, 30).Should(Succeed())
 		}
 
-		It("can add a declarative database", func() { //nolint:dupl
+		It("can add a declarative database, publication and subscription", func() { //nolint:dupl
 			By("applying Database CRD manifest", func() {
 				CreateResourceFromFile(namespace, databaseManifest)
 				databaseObjectName, err = env.GetResourceNameFromYAML(databaseManifest)
@@ -152,15 +138,12 @@ var _ = Describe("Declarative publication and subscription test", Label(tests.La
 					g.Expect(database.Status.Ready).Should(BeTrue())
 				}, 300).WithPolling(10 * time.Second).Should(Succeed())
 			})
-
 			By("verifying new database has been created", func() {
 				primaryPodInfo, err := env.GetClusterPrimary(namespace, sourceClusterName)
 				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
-				assertDatabaseExists(namespace, primaryPodInfo.Name, dbname)
+				AssertDatabaseExists(namespace, primaryPodInfo.Name, dbname, true)
 			})
-		})
-		It("can add a declarative publication", func() { //nolint:dupl
 			By("applying Publication CRD manifest", func() {
 				CreateResourceFromFile(namespace, pubManifest)
 				pubObjectName, err = env.GetResourceNameFromYAML(pubManifest)
@@ -180,15 +163,12 @@ var _ = Describe("Declarative publication and subscription test", Label(tests.La
 					g.Expect(pub.Status.Ready).Should(BeTrue())
 				}, 300).WithPolling(10 * time.Second).Should(Succeed())
 			})
-
 			By("verifying new publication has been created", func() {
 				primaryPodInfo, err := env.GetClusterPrimary(namespace, sourceClusterName)
 				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
 				assertPublicationExists(namespace, primaryPodInfo.Name, pub)
 			})
-		})
-		It("can add a declarative subscription", func() { //nolint:dupl
 			By("applying Subscription CRD manifest", func() {
 				CreateResourceFromFile(namespace, subManifest)
 				subObjectName, err = env.GetResourceNameFromYAML(subManifest)
@@ -208,7 +188,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Declarative publication and subscription test", Label(tests.La
 					g.Expect(sub.Status.Ready).Should(BeTrue())
 				}, 300).WithPolling(10 * time.Second).Should(Succeed())
 			})
-
 			By("verifying new subscription has been created", func() {
 				primaryPodInfo, err := env.GetClusterPrimary(namespace, destinationClusterName)
 				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
diff --git a/tests/e2e/fixtures/declarative_pub_sub/destination-cluster.yaml.template b/tests/e2e/fixtures/declarative_pub_sub/destination-cluster.yaml.template
index b8e7531abe..a0be6258e7 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/fixtures/declarative_pub_sub/destination-cluster.yaml.template
+++ b/tests/e2e/fixtures/declarative_pub_sub/destination-cluster.yaml.template
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ metadata:
   name: destination-cluster
 spec:
   instances: 3
+  externalClusters:
+    - name: source-cluster
 
   postgresql:
     parameters: