diff --git a/.github/workflows/functional_test.yml b/.github/workflows/functional_test.yml
index 6b9694625ccf..34713f046143 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/functional_test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/functional_test.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ on:
     paths:
       - "go.mod"
       - "**.go"
+      - "**.yml"
+      - "**.yaml"
       - "Makefile"
       - "!site/**"
       - "!**.md"
@@ -15,6 +17,8 @@ on:
     paths:
       - "go.mod"
       - "**.go"
+      - "**.yml"
+      - "**.yaml"
       - "Makefile"
       - "!site/**"
       - "!**.md"
@@ -43,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
         run: go mod download
       - name: Build minikube and e2e test binaries
         run: |
-          make e2e-linux-amd64 e2e-darwin-amd64
+          make e2e-linux-amd64 e2e-darwin-amd64 e2e-linux-arm64
           cp -r test/integration/testdata ./out
       - name: Upload Test Binaries
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@330a01c490aca151604b8cf639adc76d48f6c5d4
@@ -53,7 +57,7 @@ jobs:
   functional-test:
     name: ${{ matrix.name }}
     needs: build-test-binaries
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.runner }}
     permissions:
       contents: none
     strategy:
@@ -63,43 +67,48 @@ jobs:
           - name: docker-docker-ubuntu22.04-x86_64
             driver: docker
             cruntime: docker
-            os: ubuntu-22.04
+            runner: ubuntu-22.04
             test-timeout: 15m 
           - name: docker-containerd-ubuntu-22.04-x86_64
             driver: docker
             cruntime: containerd
             extra-start-args: --container-runtime=containerd
-            os: ubuntu-22.04
+            runner: ubuntu-22.04
             test-timeout: 15m 
           - name: docker-containerd-rootless-ubuntu-22.04-x86_64
             driver: docker
             cruntime: containerd
-            os: ubuntu-22.04            
+            runner: ubuntu-22.04
             extra-start-args: --container-runtime=containerd --rootless
             rootless: true
             test-timeout: 15m 
           - name: podman-docker-ubuntu-24.04-x86_64
             driver: podman
             cruntime: docker
-            os: ubuntu-24.04
+            runner: ubuntu-24.04
             test-timeout: 15m
           - name: baremetal-docker-ubuntu-22.04-x86_64
             driver: none
             cruntime: docker
-            os: ubuntu-22.04
+            runner: ubuntu-22.04
             test-timeout: 7m
           - name: qemu-docker-macos-13-x86_64
             driver: qemu
             cruntime: docker
-            os: macos-13
+            runner: macos-13
             extra-start-args: --network socket_vmnet
             test-timeout: 50m
           - name: vfkit-docker-macos-13-x86_64
             driver: vfkit
             cruntime: docker
-            os: macos-13
+            runner: macos-13
             extra-start-args: --network vmnet-shared
             test-timeout: 50m            
+          - name: docker-docker-ubuntu-arm64
+            driver: docker
+            cruntime: docker
+            runner: [self-hosted, arm64]
+            test-timeout: 25m
     steps:
       - name: Info Block (macOS)
         if: runner.os == 'macOS'
@@ -259,7 +268,7 @@ jobs:
           dockerd-rootless-setuptool.sh install -f
           docker context use rootless
       - name: Ensure bootpd is enabled (macos-13)
-        if: matrix.os == 'macos-13'
+        if: contains(matrix.runner, 'macos-13')
         shell: bash
         run: |
           set -x
@@ -369,12 +378,12 @@ jobs:
           fi
           kubectl version --client=true
       - name: Install qemu and socket_vmnet (macos)
-        if: matrix.os == 'macos-13' && matrix.driver == 'qemu'
+        if: contains(matrix.runner, 'macos-13') && matrix.driver == 'qemu'
         run: |
           brew install qemu socket_vmnet
           HOMEBREW=$(which brew) && sudo ${HOMEBREW} services start socket_vmnet
       - name: Install vfkit and vmnet_helper (macos)
-        if: matrix.os == 'macos-13' && matrix.driver == 'vfkit'
+        if: contains(matrix.runner, 'macos-13') && matrix.driver == 'vfkit'
         run: |
           brew install vfkit
           curl -fsSL https://github.com/minikube-machine/vmnet-helper/releases/latest/download/install.sh | sudo VMNET_INTERACTIVE=0 bash
diff --git a/cmd/minikube/main.go b/cmd/minikube/main.go
index b0d50fb964b5..a18c0b78cd0b 100644
--- a/cmd/minikube/main.go
+++ b/cmd/minikube/main.go
@@ -308,3 +308,5 @@ func propagateDockerContextToEnv() {
 		os.Setenv("DOCKER_HOST", dockerEPMeta.Host)
 	}
 }
+
+//added for testing purposes