diff --git a/test/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go b/test/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go
index 0f2bfdf..d4e553f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 
 	internalClient "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/client"
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/deployment"
+	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/diagnostics"
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/e2etestenv"
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/kustomize"
 
@@ -131,6 +132,28 @@ var _ = SynchronizedBeforeSuite(func(ctx SpecContext) []byte {
 	logFlags.ConfigureLogging()
 })
 
+// The ephemeral cluster the suite runs against is torn down right after this
+// process exits, so this is the only chance to capture the CloudNativePG
+// operator and barman-cloud plugin logs for a failed run.
+var _ = ReportAfterSuite("dump cnpg-system diagnostics on failure", func(report Report) {
+	if report.SuiteSucceeded {
+		return
+	}
+
+	cl, _, err := internalClient.NewClient()
+	if err != nil {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "failed to create Kubernetes client for diagnostics: %v\n", err)
+		return
+	}
+	clientSet, _, err := internalClient.NewClientSet()
+	if err != nil {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "failed to create Kubernetes clientset for diagnostics: %v\n", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	diagnostics.DumpOperatorNamespace(context.Background(), cl, clientSet, "cnpg-system")
+})
+
 // Run e2e tests using the Ginkgo runner.
 func TestE2E(t *testing.T) {
 	RegisterFailHandler(Fail)
diff --git a/test/e2e/internal/diagnostics/diagnostics.go b/test/e2e/internal/diagnostics/diagnostics.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34f4ee0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/internal/diagnostics/diagnostics.go
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+/*
+Copyright © contributors to CloudNativePG, established as
+CloudNativePG a Series of LF Projects, LLC.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+*/
+
+// Package diagnostics provides helpers to capture the state of a namespace
+// when an e2e spec fails, so the root cause can be inspected from the CI
+// logs without needing to reproduce the failure locally.
+package diagnostics
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"slices"
+	"sort"
+
+	cloudnativepgv1 "github.com/cloudnative-pg/api/pkg/api/v1"
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
+)
+
+// pluginContainerName is the name of the barman-cloud plugin sidecar injected
+// into every PostgreSQL pod, see internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go.
+const pluginContainerName = "plugin-barman-cloud"
+
+// tailLines is the number of trailing log lines fetched from each container.
+const tailLines = 200
+
+// DumpNamespace prints diagnostic information about the given test namespace
+// to the GinkgoWriter: namespace Events, Backup and Cluster statuses, pod
+// container statuses, and the tail of the postgres/plugin container logs.
+// It is a no-op if the current spec has not failed, so it is safe to call
+// unconditionally from an AfterEach, before the namespace is torn down.
+func DumpNamespace(ctx context.Context, cl client.Client, clientSet *kubernetes.Clientset, namespaceName string) {
+	if !CurrentSpecReport().Failed() {
+		return
+	}
+
+	dumpNamespace(ctx, cl, clientSet, namespaceName, "postgres", pluginContainerName)
+}
+
+// DumpOperatorNamespace prints the same diagnostics as DumpNamespace, but for
+// the cnpg-system namespace the CloudNativePG operator and the barman-cloud
+// plugin run in, dumping the logs of every container in it. Unlike
+// DumpNamespace it always runs when called: the caller (typically a
+// ReportAfterSuite, since cnpg-system isn't torn down per-spec) is expected
+// to only call it once the aggregated suite report shows a failure.
+func DumpOperatorNamespace(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	cl client.Client,
+	clientSet *kubernetes.Clientset,
+	namespaceName string,
+) {
+	dumpNamespace(ctx, cl, clientSet, namespaceName)
+}
+
+func dumpNamespace(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	cl client.Client,
+	clientSet *kubernetes.Clientset,
+	namespaceName string,
+	containerNames ...string,
+) {
+	fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "\n::group::Diagnostics for namespace %q\n", namespaceName)
+	defer fmt.Fprintln(GinkgoWriter, "::endgroup::")
+
+	dumpEvents(ctx, cl, namespaceName)
+	dumpBackups(ctx, cl, namespaceName)
+	dumpClusters(ctx, cl, namespaceName)
+	dumpPods(ctx, cl, clientSet, namespaceName, containerNames)
+}
+
+func dumpEvents(ctx context.Context, cl client.Client, namespaceName string) {
+	var events corev1.EventList
+	if err := cl.List(ctx, &events, client.InNamespace(namespaceName)); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "failed to list events in %q: %v\n", namespaceName, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	sort.Slice(events.Items, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return events.Items[i].LastTimestamp.Before(&events.Items[j].LastTimestamp)
+	})
+
+	fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "-- Events (%d) --\n", len(events.Items))
+	for _, event := range events.Items {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "[%s] %s/%s %s: %s\n",
+			event.LastTimestamp.Format("15:04:05"),
+			event.InvolvedObject.Kind, event.InvolvedObject.Name,
+			event.Reason, event.Message)
+	}
+}
+
+func dumpBackups(ctx context.Context, cl client.Client, namespaceName string) {
+	var backups cloudnativepgv1.BackupList
+	if err := cl.List(ctx, &backups, client.InNamespace(namespaceName)); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "failed to list backups in %q: %v\n", namespaceName, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "-- Backups (%d) --\n", len(backups.Items))
+	for _, backup := range backups.Items {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "%s: phase=%s error=%q commandError=%q\n",
+			backup.Name, backup.Status.Phase, backup.Status.Error, backup.Status.CommandError)
+	}
+}
+
+func dumpClusters(ctx context.Context, cl client.Client, namespaceName string) {
+	var clusters cloudnativepgv1.ClusterList
+	if err := cl.List(ctx, &clusters, client.InNamespace(namespaceName)); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "failed to list clusters in %q: %v\n", namespaceName, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "-- Clusters (%d) --\n", len(clusters.Items))
+	for _, cluster := range clusters.Items {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "%s: phase=%s reason=%q readyInstances=%d/%d\n",
+			cluster.Name, cluster.Status.Phase, cluster.Status.PhaseReason,
+			cluster.Status.ReadyInstances, cluster.Spec.Instances)
+	}
+}
+
+// dumpPods prints every pod's container statuses in namespaceName, and the
+// tail of the log of each container whose name is in containerNames (or
+// every container, if containerNames is empty).
+func dumpPods(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	cl client.Client,
+	clientSet *kubernetes.Clientset,
+	namespaceName string,
+	containerNames []string,
+) {
+	var pods corev1.PodList
+	if err := cl.List(ctx, &pods, client.InNamespace(namespaceName)); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "failed to list pods in %q: %v\n", namespaceName, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "-- Pods (%d) --\n", len(pods.Items))
+	for _, pod := range pods.Items {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "%s: phase=%s\n", pod.Name, pod.Status.Phase)
+		for _, cs := range pod.Status.ContainerStatuses {
+			fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "  container %s: ready=%t restarts=%d state=%s\n",
+				cs.Name, cs.Ready, cs.RestartCount, containerStateString(cs.State))
+
+			if len(containerNames) == 0 || slices.Contains(containerNames, cs.Name) {
+				dumpContainerLog(ctx, clientSet, namespaceName, pod.Name, cs.Name)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func containerStateString(state corev1.ContainerState) string {
+	switch {
+	case state.Waiting != nil:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("waiting(%s: %s)", state.Waiting.Reason, state.Waiting.Message)
+	case state.Running != nil:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("running(since %s)", state.Running.StartedAt)
+	case state.Terminated != nil:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("terminated(exitCode=%d reason=%s: %s)",
+			state.Terminated.ExitCode, state.Terminated.Reason, state.Terminated.Message)
+	default:
+		return "unknown"
+	}
+}
+
+func dumpContainerLog(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	clientSet *kubernetes.Clientset,
+	namespaceName, podName, containerName string,
+) {
+	tail := int64(tailLines)
+	req := clientSet.CoreV1().Pods(namespaceName).GetLogs(podName, &corev1.PodLogOptions{
+		Container: containerName,
+		TailLines: &tail,
+	})
+
+	stream, err := req.Stream(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "  failed to fetch logs for %s/%s: %v\n", podName, containerName, err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer stream.Close()
+
+	logs, err := io.ReadAll(stream)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "  failed to read logs for %s/%s: %v\n", podName, containerName, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintf(GinkgoWriter, "  -- last %d lines of %s/%s --\n%s\n", tailLines, podName, containerName, logs)
+}
diff --git a/test/e2e/internal/tests/backup/backup_restore.go b/test/e2e/internal/tests/backup/backup_restore.go
index 09892d0..ff8aaa4 100644
--- a/test/e2e/internal/tests/backup/backup_restore.go
+++ b/test/e2e/internal/tests/backup/backup_restore.go
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ import (
 	v1 "github.com/cloudnative-pg/api/pkg/api/v1"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 
 	internalClient "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/client"
 	internalCluster "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/cluster"
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/command"
+	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/diagnostics"
 	nmsp "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/namespace"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
@@ -40,14 +42,18 @@ import (
 var _ = Describe("Backup and restore", func() {
 	var namespace *corev1.Namespace
 	var cl client.Client
+	var diagClientSet *kubernetes.Clientset
 	BeforeEach(func(ctx SpecContext) {
 		var err error
 		cl, _, err = internalClient.NewClient()
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		diagClientSet, _, err = internalClient.NewClientSet()
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 		namespace, err = nmsp.CreateUniqueNamespace(ctx, cl, "backup-restore")
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	})
 	AfterEach(func(ctx SpecContext) {
+		diagnostics.DumpNamespace(ctx, cl, diagClientSet, namespace.Name)
 		Expect(cl.Delete(ctx, namespace)).To(Succeed())
 	})
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/internal/tests/credentialrotation/credential_rotation.go b/test/e2e/internal/tests/credentialrotation/credential_rotation.go
index f530259..a920561 100644
--- a/test/e2e/internal/tests/credentialrotation/credential_rotation.go
+++ b/test/e2e/internal/tests/credentialrotation/credential_rotation.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	rbacv1 "k8s.io/api/rbac/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/internal/cnpgi/operator/specs"
 	internalClient "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/client"
 	internalCluster "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/cluster"
+	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/diagnostics"
 	nmsp "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/namespace"
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/objectstore"
 
@@ -51,16 +53,20 @@ const (
 var _ = Describe("Credential rotation", func() {
 	var namespace *corev1.Namespace
 	var cl client.Client
+	var diagClientSet *kubernetes.Clientset
 
 	BeforeEach(func(ctx SpecContext) {
 		var err error
 		cl, _, err = internalClient.NewClient()
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		diagClientSet, _, err = internalClient.NewClientSet()
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 		namespace, err = nmsp.CreateUniqueNamespace(ctx, cl, "cred-rotation")
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	})
 
 	AfterEach(func(ctx SpecContext) {
+		diagnostics.DumpNamespace(ctx, cl, diagClientSet, namespace.Name)
 		Expect(cl.Delete(ctx, namespace)).To(Succeed())
 	})
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/internal/tests/replicacluster/replica_cluster.go b/test/e2e/internal/tests/replicacluster/replica_cluster.go
index 8888334..f33208c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/internal/tests/replicacluster/replica_cluster.go
+++ b/test/e2e/internal/tests/replicacluster/replica_cluster.go
@@ -27,12 +27,14 @@ import (
 	cloudnativepgv1 "github.com/cloudnative-pg/api/pkg/api/v1"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 
 	internalClient "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/client"
 	cluster2 "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/cluster"
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/command"
+	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/diagnostics"
 	nmsp "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/namespace"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
@@ -42,14 +44,18 @@ import (
 var _ = Describe("Replica cluster", func() {
 	var namespace *corev1.Namespace
 	var cl client.Client
+	var diagClientSet *kubernetes.Clientset
 	BeforeEach(func(ctx SpecContext) {
 		var err error
 		cl, _, err = internalClient.NewClient()
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		diagClientSet, _, err = internalClient.NewClientSet()
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 		namespace, err = nmsp.CreateUniqueNamespace(ctx, cl, "replica-cluster")
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	})
 	AfterEach(func(ctx SpecContext) {
+		diagnostics.DumpNamespace(ctx, cl, diagClientSet, namespace.Name)
 		Expect(cl.Delete(ctx, namespace)).To(Succeed())
 	})
 	DescribeTable("can switchover to a replica cluster",
diff --git a/test/e2e/internal/tests/walrestore/walrestore.go b/test/e2e/internal/tests/walrestore/walrestore.go
index 287748f..e4b4e94 100644
--- a/test/e2e/internal/tests/walrestore/walrestore.go
+++ b/test/e2e/internal/tests/walrestore/walrestore.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import (
 	internalCluster "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/cluster"
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/command"
 	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/deployment"
+	"github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/diagnostics"
 	nmsp "github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/test/e2e/internal/namespace"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
@@ -128,6 +129,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Parallel WAL restore", func() {
 	})
 
 	AfterEach(func(ctx SpecContext) {
+		diagnostics.DumpNamespace(ctx, cl, clientSet, namespace.Name)
 		Expect(cl.Delete(ctx, namespace)).To(Succeed())
 	})