diff --git a/pkg/features/features.go b/pkg/features/features.go
index 73208811c5e8..e72225b242da 100644
--- a/pkg/features/features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/features.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ const (
 	TinkerbellProviderEnvVar  = "TINKERBELL_PROVIDER"
 	FullLifecycleAPIEnvVar    = "FULL_LIFECYCLE_API"
 	FullLifecycleGate         = "FullLifecycleAPI"
-	NetworkingUpgradeEnvVar   = "NETWORKING_UPGRADE"
 )
 
 func FeedGates(featureGates []string) {
@@ -49,10 +48,3 @@ func TinkerbellProvider() Feature {
 		IsActive: globalFeatures.isActiveForEnvVar(TinkerbellProviderEnvVar),
 	}
 }
-
-func NetworkingUpgrade() Feature {
-	return Feature{
-		Name:     "Upgrade CNI during cluster upgrades",
-		IsActive: globalFeatures.isActiveForEnvVar(NetworkingUpgradeEnvVar),
-	}
-}
diff --git a/pkg/workflows/upgrade.go b/pkg/workflows/upgrade.go
index 4ccbb9f8c75d..b710f74a5d30 100644
--- a/pkg/workflows/upgrade.go
+++ b/pkg/workflows/upgrade.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/cluster"
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/clustermarshaller"
-	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/features"
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/filewriter"
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/logger"
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/providers"
@@ -182,16 +181,15 @@ func (s *upgradeCoreComponents) Run(ctx context.Context, commandContext *task.Co
 	target := getManagementCluster(commandContext)
 
 	logger.Info("Upgrading core components")
-	if features.IsActive(features.NetworkingUpgrade()) {
-		changeDiff, err := commandContext.ClusterManager.UpgradeNetworking(ctx, target, commandContext.CurrentClusterSpec, commandContext.ClusterSpec)
-		if err != nil {
-			commandContext.SetError(err)
-			return &CollectDiagnosticsTask{}
-		}
-		commandContext.UpgradeChangeDiff.Append(changeDiff)
+
+	changeDiff, err := commandContext.ClusterManager.UpgradeNetworking(ctx, target, commandContext.CurrentClusterSpec, commandContext.ClusterSpec)
+	if err != nil {
+		commandContext.SetError(err)
+		return &CollectDiagnosticsTask{}
 	}
+	commandContext.UpgradeChangeDiff.Append(changeDiff)
 
-	changeDiff, err := commandContext.CAPIManager.Upgrade(ctx, target, commandContext.Provider, commandContext.CurrentClusterSpec, commandContext.ClusterSpec)
+	changeDiff, err = commandContext.CAPIManager.Upgrade(ctx, target, commandContext.Provider, commandContext.CurrentClusterSpec, commandContext.ClusterSpec)
 	if err != nil {
 		commandContext.SetError(err)
 		return &CollectDiagnosticsTask{}
diff --git a/pkg/workflows/upgrade_test.go b/pkg/workflows/upgrade_test.go
index 6d70d0f4d6b1..ef595f5f5bde 100644
--- a/pkg/workflows/upgrade_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflows/upgrade_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/api/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/bootstrapper"
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/cluster"
-	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/features"
 	writermocks "github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/filewriter/mocks"
 	"github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/providers"
 	providermocks "github.com/aws/eks-anywhere/pkg/providers/mocks"
@@ -42,7 +41,7 @@ type upgradeTestSetup struct {
 }
 
 func newUpgradeTest(t *testing.T) *upgradeTestSetup {
-	featureEnvVars := []string{features.NetworkingUpgradeEnvVar}
+	featureEnvVars := []string{}
 	mockCtrl := gomock.NewController(t)
 	bootstrapper := mocks.NewMockBootstrapper(mockCtrl)
 	clusterManager := mocks.NewMockClusterManager(mockCtrl)