diff --git a/docs/generated/kuma-cp.md b/docs/generated/kuma-cp.md
index ac57f9a81047..7e950bf24d6b 100644
--- a/docs/generated/kuma-cp.md
+++ b/docs/generated/kuma-cp.md
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ multizone:
       responseBackoff: 0s # ENV: KUMA_MULTIZONE_GLOBAL_KDS_RESPONSE_BACKOFF
   zone:
     # Kuma Zone name used to mark the zone dataplane resources
-    name: "" # ENV: KUMA_MULTIZONE_ZONE_NAME
+    name: "default" # ENV: KUMA_MULTIZONE_ZONE_NAME
     # GlobalAddress URL of Global Kuma CP
     globalAddress: # ENV KUMA_MULTIZONE_ZONE_GLOBAL_ADDRESS
     kds:
diff --git a/docs/generated/raw/kuma-cp.yaml b/docs/generated/raw/kuma-cp.yaml
index 7ab3db9179c9..8136a224b665 100644
--- a/docs/generated/raw/kuma-cp.yaml
+++ b/docs/generated/raw/kuma-cp.yaml
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ multizone:
       responseBackoff: 0s # ENV: KUMA_MULTIZONE_GLOBAL_KDS_RESPONSE_BACKOFF
   zone:
     # Kuma Zone name used to mark the zone dataplane resources
-    name: "" # ENV: KUMA_MULTIZONE_ZONE_NAME
+    name: "default" # ENV: KUMA_MULTIZONE_ZONE_NAME
     # GlobalAddress URL of Global Kuma CP
     globalAddress: # ENV KUMA_MULTIZONE_ZONE_GLOBAL_ADDRESS
     kds:
diff --git a/pkg/defaults/envoy_admin_ca.go b/pkg/defaults/envoy_admin_ca.go
index fcf67dded3e9..bdce13e23696 100644
--- a/pkg/defaults/envoy_admin_ca.go
+++ b/pkg/defaults/envoy_admin_ca.go
@@ -24,17 +24,24 @@ var _ component.Component = &EnvoyAdminCaDefaultComponent{}
 
 func (e *EnvoyAdminCaDefaultComponent) Start(stop <-chan struct{}) error {
 	ctx, cancelFn := context.WithCancel(user.Ctx(context.Background(), user.ControlPlane))
+	defer cancelFn()
+	logger := kuma_log.AddFieldsFromCtx(log, ctx, e.Extensions)
+	errChan := make(chan error)
 	go func() {
-		<-stop
-		cancelFn()
+		errChan <- retry.Do(ctx, retry.WithMaxDuration(10*time.Minute, retry.NewConstant(5*time.Second)), func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			if err := EnsureEnvoyAdminCaExist(ctx, e.ResManager, e.Extensions); err != nil {
+				logger.V(1).Info("could not ensure that Envoy Admin CA exists. Retrying.", "err", err)
+				return retry.RetryableError(err)
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
 	}()
-	return retry.Do(ctx, retry.WithMaxDuration(10*time.Minute, retry.NewConstant(5*time.Second)), func(ctx context.Context) error {
-		if err := EnsureEnvoyAdminCaExist(ctx, e.ResManager, e.Extensions); err != nil {
-			log.V(1).Info("could not ensure that Envoy Admin CA exists. Retrying.", "err", err)
-			return retry.RetryableError(err)
-		}
+	select {
+	case <-stop:
 		return nil
-	})
+	case err := <-errChan:
+		return err
+	}
 }
 
 func (e EnvoyAdminCaDefaultComponent) NeedLeaderElection() bool {
diff --git a/pkg/defaults/zone.go b/pkg/defaults/zone.go
index f0ff5c51cefd..3a9b1f937c40 100644
--- a/pkg/defaults/zone.go
+++ b/pkg/defaults/zone.go
@@ -27,18 +27,24 @@ var _ component.Component = &ZoneDefaultComponent{}
 
 func (e *ZoneDefaultComponent) Start(stop <-chan struct{}) error {
 	ctx, cancelFn := context.WithCancel(user.Ctx(context.Background(), user.ControlPlane))
+	defer cancelFn()
+	logger := kuma_log.AddFieldsFromCtx(log, ctx, e.Extensions)
+	errChan := make(chan error)
 	go func() {
-		<-stop
-		cancelFn()
+		errChan <- retry.Do(ctx, retry.WithMaxDuration(10*time.Minute, retry.NewConstant(5*time.Second)), func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			if err := EnsureOnlyOneZoneExists(ctx, e.ResManager, e.ZoneName, logger); err != nil {
+				log.V(1).Info("could not ensure that Zone exists. Retrying.", "err", err)
+				return retry.RetryableError(err)
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
 	}()
-	return retry.Do(ctx, retry.WithMaxDuration(10*time.Minute, retry.NewConstant(5*time.Second)), func(ctx context.Context) error {
-		logger := kuma_log.AddFieldsFromCtx(log, ctx, e.Extensions)
-		if err := EnsureOnlyOneZoneExists(ctx, e.ResManager, e.ZoneName, logger); err != nil {
-			log.V(1).Info("could not ensure that Zone exists. Retrying.", "err", err)
-			return retry.RetryableError(err)
-		}
+	select {
+	case <-stop:
 		return nil
-	})
+	case err := <-errChan:
+		return err
+	}
 }
 
 func (e ZoneDefaultComponent) NeedLeaderElection() bool {
diff --git a/test/e2e_env/universal/resilience/leader_election_postgres.go b/test/e2e_env/universal/resilience/leader_election_postgres.go
index 8c220c42d1b0..668648d89c27 100644
--- a/test/e2e_env/universal/resilience/leader_election_postgres.go
+++ b/test/e2e_env/universal/resilience/leader_election_postgres.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func LeaderElectionPostgres() {
 		Expect(metrics).To(ContainSubstring(`leader{zone="kuma-leader2"} 0`))
 
 		// when CP 1 is killed
-		_, _, err = zone1.Exec("", "", AppModeCP, "pkill", "-9", "kuma-cp")
+		_, _, err = zone1.Exec("", "", AppModeCP, "pkill", "kuma-cp")
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
 		// then CP 2 is leader