diff --git a/spec/02-integration/09-hybrid_mode/02-start_stop_spec.lua b/spec/02-integration/09-hybrid_mode/02-start_stop_spec.lua
index 43cbf6ec988..6ecfc11a500 100644
--- a/spec/02-integration/09-hybrid_mode/02-start_stop_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/02-integration/09-hybrid_mode/02-start_stop_spec.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 local helpers = require "spec.helpers"
 
 
-describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
+for _, inc_sync in ipairs { "on", "off" } do
+describe("invalid config are rejected" .. " inc_sync=" .. inc_sync, function()
   describe("role is control_plane", function()
     it("can not disable admin_listen", function()
       local ok, err = helpers.start_kong({
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
         cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
         cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
         admin_listen = "off",
+        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       })
 
       assert.False(ok)
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
         cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
         cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
         cluster_listen = "off",
+        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       })
 
       assert.False(ok)
@@ -39,6 +42,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
         cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
         cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
         database = "off",
+        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       })
 
       assert.False(ok)
@@ -53,6 +57,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
         cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
         cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
         cluster_mtls = "pki",
+        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       })
 
       assert.False(ok)
@@ -69,6 +74,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
         cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
         cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
         proxy_listen = "off",
+        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       })
 
       assert.False(ok)
@@ -82,6 +88,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
         prefix = "servroot2",
         cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
         cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
+        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       })
 
       assert.False(ok)
@@ -97,7 +104,8 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
         prefix = "servroot2",
         cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
         cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
-        cluster_dp_labels = "w@:_a"
+        cluster_dp_labels = "w@:_a",
+        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       })
 
       assert.False(ok)
@@ -113,7 +121,8 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
         cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
         cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
         proxy_listen = "0.0.0.0:" .. helpers.get_available_port(),
-        cluster_dp_labels = "Aa-._zZ_key:Aa-._zZ_val"
+        cluster_dp_labels = "Aa-._zZ_key:Aa-._zZ_val",
+        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       })
       assert.True(ok)
       helpers.stop_kong("servroot2")
@@ -128,6 +137,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
           nginx_conf = "spec/fixtures/custom_nginx.template",
           database = param[2],
           prefix = "servroot2",
+          cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
         })
 
         assert.False(ok)
@@ -141,6 +151,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
           database = param[2],
           prefix = "servroot2",
           cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
+          cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
         })
 
         assert.False(ok)
@@ -151,7 +162,7 @@ describe("invalid config are rejected", function()
 end)
 
 -- note that lagacy modes still error when CP exits
-describe("when CP exits before DP", function()
+describe("when CP exits before DP" .. " inc_sync=" .. inc_sync, function()
   local need_exit = true
 
   lazy_setup(function()
@@ -164,6 +175,7 @@ describe("when CP exits before DP", function()
       cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
       cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
       cluster_listen = "127.0.0.1:9005",
+      cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
     }))
     assert(helpers.start_kong({
       role = "data_plane",
@@ -173,6 +185,7 @@ describe("when CP exits before DP", function()
       cluster_control_plane = "127.0.0.1:9005",
       proxy_listen = "0.0.0.0:9002",
       database = "off",
+      cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync,
       -- EE [[
       -- vitals uses the clustering strategy by default, and it logs the exact
       -- same "error while receiving frame from peer" error strings that this
@@ -196,3 +209,4 @@ describe("when CP exits before DP", function()
     assert.logfile("servroot2/logs/error.log").has.no.line("error while receiving frame from peer", true)
   end)
 end)
+end -- for inc_sync