diff --git a/e2e/cypress/src/cypress.test.ts b/e2e/cypress/src/cypress.test.ts
index 61feae4b9dbe2..df92558d33bd8 100644
--- a/e2e/cypress/src/cypress.test.ts
+++ b/e2e/cypress/src/cypress.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import {
   checkFilesExist,
   cleanupProject,
   createFile,
+  ensureCypressInstallation,
   killPorts,
   newProject,
   readJson,
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ describe('Cypress E2E Test runner', () => {
 
   beforeAll(() => {
     newProject();
+    ensureCypressInstallation();
   });
 
   afterAll(() => cleanupProject());
diff --git a/e2e/utils/index.ts b/e2e/utils/index.ts
index 1b44b1420935d..cd4b5bada5e99 100644
--- a/e2e/utils/index.ts
+++ b/e2e/utils/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import {
-  createProjectGraphAsync,
   joinPathFragments,
   parseJson,
   ProjectConfiguration,
@@ -399,7 +398,36 @@ export async function cleanupProject(opts?: RunCmdOpts) {
 }
 
 export function runCypressTests() {
-  return process.env.NX_E2E_RUN_CYPRESS === 'true';
+  if (process.env.NX_E2E_RUN_CYPRESS === 'true') {
+    ensureCypressInstallation();
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+export function ensureCypressInstallation() {
+  let cypressVerified = true;
+  try {
+    const r = execSync('npx cypress verify', {
+      stdio: 'inherit',
+      encoding: 'utf-8',
+      cwd: tmpProjPath(),
+    });
+    if (r.indexOf('Verified Cypress!') === -1) {
+      cypressVerified = false;
+    }
+  } catch {
+    cypressVerified = false;
+  } finally {
+    if (!cypressVerified) {
+      e2eConsoleLogger('Cypress was not verified. Installing Cypress now.');
+      execSync('npx cypress install', {
+        stdio: 'inherit',
+        encoding: 'utf-8',
+        cwd: tmpProjPath(),
+      });
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 export function isNotWindows() {