diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 41397e9cc..77e9ba810 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -335,6 +335,10 @@ run-latest-release:
 	@echo -e "\n\U23EC Using $(RELEASE_INSTALL) as release installer\n"
 	curl -L -s https://github.com/operator-framework/operator-controller/releases/latest/download/$(notdir $(RELEASE_INSTALL)) | bash -s
 
+.PHONY: run-main-experimental
+run-main-experimental:
+	KIND_CLUSTER_NAME=$(KIND_CLUSTER_NAME) ./hack/test/deploy-from-main.sh
+
 .PHONY: pre-upgrade-setup
 pre-upgrade-setup:
 	./hack/test/pre-upgrade-setup.sh $(CATALOG_IMG) $(TEST_CLUSTER_CATALOG_NAME) $(TEST_CLUSTER_EXTENSION_NAME)
@@ -345,6 +349,7 @@ post-upgrade-checks:
 
 
 TEST_UPGRADE_E2E_TASKS := kind-cluster run-latest-release image-registry pre-upgrade-setup docker-build kind-load kind-deploy post-upgrade-checks kind-clean
+TEST_UPGRADE_EX2EX_E2E_TASKS := kind-cluster run-main-experimental image-registry pre-upgrade-setup docker-build kind-load kind-deploy post-upgrade-checks kind-clean
 
 .PHONY: test-upgrade-st2st-e2e
 test-upgrade-st2st-e2e: SOURCE_MANIFEST := $(STANDARD_MANIFEST)
@@ -357,12 +362,11 @@ test-upgrade-st2st-e2e: $(TEST_UPGRADE_E2E_TASKS) #HELP Run upgrade (standard ->
 
 .PHONY: test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e
 test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e: SOURCE_MANIFEST := $(EXPERIMENTAL_MANIFEST)
-test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e: RELEASE_INSTALL := $(EXPERIMENTAL_RELEASE_INSTALL)
 test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e: KIND_CLUSTER_NAME := operator-controller-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e
 test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e: export MANIFEST := $(EXPERIMENTAL_RELEASE_MANIFEST)
 test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e: export TEST_CLUSTER_CATALOG_NAME := test-catalog
 test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e: export TEST_CLUSTER_EXTENSION_NAME := test-package
-test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e: $(TEST_UPGRADE_E2E_TASKS) #HELP Run upgrade (experimental -> experimental) e2e tests on a local kind cluster
+test-upgrade-ex2ex-e2e: $(TEST_UPGRADE_EX2EX_E2E_TASKS) #HELP Run upgrade (experimental -> experimental) e2e tests on a local kind cluster
 
 .PHONY: test-upgrade-st2ex-e2e
 test-upgrade-st2ex-e2e: SOURCE_MANIFEST := $(EXPERIMENTAL_MANIFEST)
diff --git a/hack/test/deploy-from-main.sh b/hack/test/deploy-from-main.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..d8ad9b737
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hack/test/deploy-from-main.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# This script builds and deploys operator-controller from the main branch
+# as the baseline for experimental-to-experimental upgrade tests.
+# Instead of upgrading from the latest release, this allows comparing
+# main -> PR for experimental features that may not exist in any release yet.
+#
+# Required environment variables (exported by Makefile):
+#   KIND_CLUSTER_NAME  - name of the kind cluster
+#   OPCON_IMAGE_REPO   - operator-controller image repository
+#   CATD_IMAGE_REPO    - catalogd image repository
+
+MAIN_TAG=main
+
+# Save current HEAD so we can return after building from main
+CURRENT_REF=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+cleanup() {
+    echo "Returning to ${CURRENT_REF}"
+    git checkout -f "${CURRENT_REF}"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+# Fetch and checkout main
+echo "Fetching and checking out origin/main"
+git fetch origin main
+git checkout FETCH_HEAD
+
+# Build images from main with a distinct tag so the upgrade
+# (which uses the default 'devel' tag) triggers a real rollout
+echo "Building images from main with tag '${MAIN_TAG}'"
+make docker-build IMAGE_TAG="${MAIN_TAG}"
+
+# Load images into kind and deploy experimental manifests from main
+echo "Loading images and deploying experimental manifests from main"
+make kind-load IMAGE_TAG="${MAIN_TAG}"
+make kind-deploy \
+    SOURCE_MANIFEST=manifests/experimental.yaml \
+    MANIFEST=operator-controller-experimental.yaml \
+    HELM_SETTINGS="options.operatorController.deployment.image=${OPCON_IMAGE_REPO}:${MAIN_TAG} options.catalogd.deployment.image=${CATD_IMAGE_REPO}:${MAIN_TAG}"