diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 232bbc0f33..d517636872 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ KUSTOMIZE_STAGING_DIR := $(OUTPUT_DIR)/third_party/kustomize
 
 # To automatically update, run this command:
 # UPDATE_TYPE=<latest-version|latest-build> make update-helm-image
-HELM_VERSION := v3.20.2-gke.9
+HELM_VERSION := v3.21.1-gke.2
 HELM := $(BIN_DIR)/helm
 HELM_STAGING_DIR := $(OUTPUT_DIR)/third_party/helm
 
@@ -528,4 +528,4 @@ test-post-sync:
 lint-post-sync: "$(GOLANGCI_LINT)"
 	@echo "+++ Running golangci-lint on post-sync example"
 	@cd examples/post-sync && GOCACHE="$(OUTPUT_DIR)/.cache/go" XDG_CACHE_HOME="$(OUTPUT_DIR)/.cache" $(GOLANGCI_LINT) run --config .golangci.yaml && cd $(CURDIR)
-	@echo "+++ Linting post-sync example completed"
\ No newline at end of file
+	@echo "+++ Linting post-sync example completed"
diff --git a/e2e/nomostest/registryproviders/registry_provider.go b/e2e/nomostest/registryproviders/registry_provider.go
index af2a15e699..8204a2ad84 100644
--- a/e2e/nomostest/registryproviders/registry_provider.go
+++ b/e2e/nomostest/registryproviders/registry_provider.go
@@ -218,7 +218,11 @@ func deleteOCIImage(client CraneClient, imageLocalAddress, digest string) error
 // deleteOCIImage instead.
 func pushHelmPackage(provider HelmRegistryProvider, repoURL, localChartTgzPath string) (*HelmPackage, error) {
 	client := provider.Client()
-	if _, err := client.Helm("push", localChartTgzPath, repoURL); err != nil {
+	args := []string{"push", localChartTgzPath, repoURL}
+	if provider.Type() == e2e.Local {
+		args = append(args, "--plain-http")
+	}
+	if _, err := client.Helm(args...); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("pushing helm chart: %w", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/hydrate/tool_util.go b/pkg/hydrate/tool_util.go
index 1431f14b05..5d2a4ddca6 100644
--- a/pkg/hydrate/tool_util.go
+++ b/pkg/hydrate/tool_util.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	// HelmVersion is the recommended version of Helm for hydration.
-	HelmVersion = "v3.20.2-gke.9"
+	HelmVersion = "v3.21.1-gke.2"
 	// KustomizeVersion is the recommended version of Kustomize for hydration.
 	KustomizeVersion = "v5.4.2-gke.8"
 	// Helm is the binary name of the installed Helm.