diff --git a/pkg/drivers/common_test.go b/pkg/drivers/common_test.go
index bc79de9b..2942160d 100644
--- a/pkg/drivers/common_test.go
+++ b/pkg/drivers/common_test.go
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func csmWithTolerations(driver csmv1.DriverType, version string) csmv1.Container
 	return res
 }
 
-// JJL make a functino that uses the standard name and calls this function
+// JJL make a function that uses the standard name and calls this function
 // makes a pflex csm object
 func csmForPowerFlex(customCSMName string) csmv1.ContainerStorageModule {
 	res := shared.MakeCSM(customCSMName, pFlexNS, shared.PFlexConfigVersion)
@@ -158,6 +158,11 @@ func csmForPowerFlex(customCSMName string) csmv1.ContainerStorageModule {
 	// Add driver common image
 	res.Spec.Driver.Common.Image = "driverimage"
 
+	// minimal manifests will not have a common section
+	if customCSMName == "no-common-section" {
+		res.Spec.Driver.Common = nil
+	}
+
 	return res
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/drivers/commonconfig.go b/pkg/drivers/commonconfig.go
index ea78fce3..390acaf6 100644
--- a/pkg/drivers/commonconfig.go
+++ b/pkg/drivers/commonconfig.go
@@ -71,8 +71,11 @@ func GetController(ctx context.Context, cr csmv1.ContainerStorageModule, operato
 	}
 
 	controllerYAML := driverYAML.(utils.ControllerYAML)
-	controllerYAML.Deployment.Spec.Replicas = &cr.Spec.Driver.Replicas
 
+	// if using a minimal manifest, replicas may not be present.
+	if cr.Spec.Driver.Replicas != 0 {
+		controllerYAML.Deployment.Spec.Replicas = &cr.Spec.Driver.Replicas
+	}
 	if cr.Spec.Driver.Controller != nil && len(cr.Spec.Driver.Controller.Tolerations) != 0 {
 		tols := make([]acorev1.TolerationApplyConfiguration, 0)
 		for _, t := range cr.Spec.Driver.Controller.Tolerations {
@@ -340,9 +343,12 @@ func GetNode(ctx context.Context, cr csmv1.ContainerStorageModule, operatorConfi
 		utils.UpdateInitContainerApply(updatedCr.Spec.Driver.InitContainers, &initcontainers[i])
 		// mdm-container is exclusive to powerflex driver deamonset, will use the driver image as an init container
 		if *initcontainers[i].Name == "mdm-container" {
-			if string(cr.Spec.Driver.Common.Image) != "" {
-				image := string(cr.Spec.Driver.Common.Image)
-				initcontainers[i].Image = &image
+			// driver minimial manifest may not have common section
+			if cr.Spec.Driver.Common != nil {
+				if string(cr.Spec.Driver.Common.Image) != "" {
+					image := string(cr.Spec.Driver.Common.Image)
+					initcontainers[i].Image = &image
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/drivers/commonconfig_test.go b/pkg/drivers/commonconfig_test.go
index 6e85ce50..8e5b19b5 100644
--- a/pkg/drivers/commonconfig_test.go
+++ b/pkg/drivers/commonconfig_test.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ var (
 		{"powerscale happy path", pScaleCSM, csmv1.PowerScaleName, "node.yaml", ""},
 		{"pflex happy path", pFlexCSM, csmv1.PowerFlex, "node.yaml", ""},
 		{"pflex no-sdc path", csmForPowerFlex("no-sdc"), csmv1.PowerFlex, "node.yaml", ""},
+		{"pflex with no common section", csmForPowerFlex("no-common-section"), csmv1.PowerFlex, "node.yaml", ""},
 		{"pstore happy path", pStoreCSM, csmv1.PowerStore, "node.yaml", ""},
 		{"unity happy path", unityCSM, csmv1.Unity, "node.yaml", ""},
 		{"unity happy path when secrets with certificates provided", unityCSMCertProvided, csmv1.Unity, "node.yaml", ""},
@@ -142,7 +143,10 @@ func TestGetNode(t *testing.T) {
 				for i := range initcontainers {
 					if *initcontainers[i].Name == "mdm-container" {
 						foundInitMdm = true
-						assert.Equal(t, string(tt.csm.Spec.Driver.Common.Image), *initcontainers[i].Image)
+						// if min manifest test case, there will be no common section
+						if tt.name != "pflex with no common section" {
+							assert.Equal(t, string(tt.csm.Spec.Driver.Common.Image), *initcontainers[i].Image)
+						}
 					}
 				}
 				// if driver is powerflex, then check that mdm-container is present
diff --git a/tests/e2e/testfiles/scenarios.yaml b/tests/e2e/testfiles/scenarios.yaml
index a22ea9f8..cfec3229 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/testfiles/scenarios.yaml
+++ b/tests/e2e/testfiles/scenarios.yaml
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@
     - "Delete custom resource [4]"
     - "Validate [powerflex] driver from CR [4] is not installed"
     - "Delete custom resource [2]"
-    - "Validate [authorization-proxy-server] module from CR [2] is not installed"
     - "Restore template [testfiles/powerflex-templates/powerflex-storageclass-template.yaml] for [pflex]"
   customTest:
     - name: Cert CSI
diff --git a/tests/e2e/testfiles/storage_csm_powerflex_alt_vals_2.yaml b/tests/e2e/testfiles/storage_csm_powerflex_alt_vals_2.yaml
index 995597d7..6f9e29dc 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/testfiles/storage_csm_powerflex_alt_vals_2.yaml
+++ b/tests/e2e/testfiles/storage_csm_powerflex_alt_vals_2.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ spec:
       # Default value: ReadWriteOnceWithFSType
       fSGroupPolicy: "None"
     configVersion: v2.13.0
-    replicas: 2
+    # setting replicas to 1 since this file is using control node to install deployment on control plane node
+    replicas: 1
     dnsPolicy: ClusterFirstWithHostNet
     forceRemoveDriver: false
     common: