diff --git a/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtctld_process.go b/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtctld_process.go
index 6ac6ed5d2b0..6e7584fe042 100644
--- a/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtctld_process.go
+++ b/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtctld_process.go
@@ -65,9 +65,13 @@ func (vtctld *VtctldProcess) Setup(cell string, extraArgs ...string) (err error)
 		"--log_dir", vtctld.LogDir,
 		"--port", fmt.Sprintf("%d", vtctld.Port),
 		"--grpc_port", fmt.Sprintf("%d", vtctld.GrpcPort),
-		"--bind-address", "127.0.0.1",
-		"--grpc_bind_address", "127.0.0.1",
 	)
+	if v, err := GetMajorVersion("vtctld"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if v >= 18 {
+		vtctld.proc.Args = append(vtctld.proc.Args, "--bind-address", "127.0.0.1")
+		vtctld.proc.Args = append(vtctld.proc.Args, "--grpc_bind_address", "127.0.0.1")
+	}
 
 	if *isCoverage {
 		vtctld.proc.Args = append(vtctld.proc.Args, "--test.coverprofile="+getCoveragePath("vtctld.out"))
diff --git a/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtgate_process.go b/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtgate_process.go
index cec137bfabe..d1877fb89bb 100644
--- a/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtgate_process.go
+++ b/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtgate_process.go
@@ -85,8 +85,12 @@ func (vtgate *VtgateProcess) Setup() (err error) {
 		"--tablet_types_to_wait", vtgate.TabletTypesToWait,
 		"--service_map", vtgate.ServiceMap,
 		"--mysql_auth_server_impl", vtgate.MySQLAuthServerImpl,
-		"--bind-address", "127.0.0.1",
-		"--grpc_bind_address", "127.0.0.1",
+	}
+	if v, err := GetMajorVersion("vtgate"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if v >= 18 {
+		args = append(args, "--bind-address", "127.0.0.1")
+		args = append(args, "--grpc_bind_address", "127.0.0.1")
 	}
 	// If no explicit mysql_server_version has been specified then we autodetect
 	// the MySQL version that will be used for the test and base the vtgate's
diff --git a/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtorc_process.go b/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtorc_process.go
index c6ab9c5471a..740d038b596 100644
--- a/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtorc_process.go
+++ b/go/test/endtoend/cluster/vtorc_process.go
@@ -126,8 +126,12 @@ func (orc *VTOrcProcess) Setup() (err error) {
 		"--instance-poll-time", "1s",
 		// Faster topo information refresh speeds up the tests. This doesn't add any significant load either
 		"--topo-information-refresh-duration", "3s",
-		"--bind-address", "127.0.0.1",
 	)
+	if v, err := GetMajorVersion("vtorc"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	} else if v >= 18 {
+		orc.proc.Args = append(orc.proc.Args, "--bind-address", "127.0.0.1")
+	}
 
 	if *isCoverage {
 		orc.proc.Args = append(orc.proc.Args, "--test.coverprofile="+getCoveragePath("orc.out"))