diff --git a/e2e/e2eutil/job.go b/e2e/e2eutil/job.go
index b954c762c..d0a74a6df 100644
--- a/e2e/e2eutil/job.go
+++ b/e2e/e2eutil/job.go
@@ -93,3 +93,41 @@ func RegisterFromJobspec(jobID, jobspec string) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func ChildrenJobSummary(jobID string) ([]map[string]string, error) {
+	out, err := Command("nomad", "job", "status", jobID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("nomad job status failed: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	section, err := GetSection(out, "Children Job Summary")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find children job summary section: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	summary, err := ParseColumns(section)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not parse children job summary section: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return summary, nil
+}
+
+func PreviouslyLaunched(jobID string) ([]map[string]string, error) {
+	out, err := Command("nomad", "job", "status", jobID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("nomad job status failed: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	section, err := GetSection(out, "Previously Launched Jobs")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find previously launched jobs section: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	summary, err := ParseColumns(section)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not parse previously launched jobs section: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return summary, nil
+}
diff --git a/e2e/periodic/periodic.go b/e2e/periodic/periodic.go
index 7dd57046e..c20a32625 100644
--- a/e2e/periodic/periodic.go
+++ b/e2e/periodic/periodic.go
@@ -53,39 +53,26 @@ func (tc *PeriodicTest) TestPeriodicDispatch_Basic(f *framework.F) {
 	// force dispatch
 	require.NoError(t, e2eutil.PeriodicForce(jobID))
 
-	// Get the child job ID
 	testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
-		childID, err := e2eutil.JobInspectTemplate(jobID, `{{with index . 1}}{{printf "%s" .ID}}{{end}}`)
+		children, err := e2eutil.PreviouslyLaunched(jobID)
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, err
 		}
-		if childID != "" {
-			return true, nil
-		}
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("expected non-empty periodic child jobID for job %s", jobID)
-	}, func(err error) {
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-	})
 
-	testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
-		status, err := e2eutil.JobInspectTemplate(jobID, `{{with index . 1}}{{printf "%s" .Status}}{{end}}`)
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-		require.NotEmpty(t, status)
-		if status == "dead" {
-			return true, nil
+		for _, c := range children {
+			if c["Status"] == "dead" {
+				return true, nil
+			}
 		}
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("expected periodic job to be dead, got %s", status)
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("expected periodic job to be dead")
 	}, func(err error) {
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 	})
 
 	// Assert there are no pending children
-	pending, err := e2eutil.JobInspectTemplate(jobID, `{{with index . 0}}{{printf "%d" .JobSummary.Children.Pending}}{{end}}`)
+	summary, err := e2eutil.ChildrenJobSummary(jobID)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Equal(t, "0", pending)
-
-	// Assert there are no pending children
-	dead, err := e2eutil.JobInspectTemplate(jobID, `{{with index . 0}}{{printf "%d" .JobSummary.Children.Dead}}{{end}}`)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Equal(t, "1", dead)
+	require.Len(t, summary, 1)
+	require.Equal(t, summary[0]["Pending"], "0")
+	require.Equal(t, summary[0]["Dead"], "1")
 }
diff --git a/e2e/terraform/.terraform.lock.hcl b/e2e/terraform/.terraform.lock.hcl
index 9b8e3c492..6065a46f1 100644
--- a/e2e/terraform/.terraform.lock.hcl
+++ b/e2e/terraform/.terraform.lock.hcl
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ provider "registry.terraform.io/hashicorp/external" {
   version = "2.0.0"
   hashes = [
     "h1:6S7hqjmUnoAZ5D/0F1VlJZKSJsUIBh7Ro0tLjGpKO0g=",
+    "h1:Q5xqryWI3tCY8yr+fugq7dz4Qz+8g4GaW9ZS8dc6Ob8=",
     "zh:07949780dd6a1d43e7b46950f6e6976581d9724102cb5388d3411a1b6f476bde",
     "zh:0a4f4636ff93f0644affa8474465dd8c9252946437ad025b28fc9f6603534a24",
     "zh:0dd7e05a974c649950d1a21d7015d3753324ae52ebdd1744b144bc409ca4b3e8",