diff --git a/pipelines/perf-eval/Automatic Benchmark/cluster-automatic-single-cluster.yml b/pipelines/perf-eval/Automatic Benchmark/cluster-automatic-single-cluster.yml
index 2c425fee81..36a14eb1e4 100644
--- a/pipelines/perf-eval/Automatic Benchmark/cluster-automatic-single-cluster.yml	
+++ b/pipelines/perf-eval/Automatic Benchmark/cluster-automatic-single-cluster.yml	
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ schedules:
       include:
         - main
     always: true
+  # AKS Automatic MachineAPI On-Demand Schedule
+  - cron: "0 3 * * *"
+    displayName: "Every day at 3:00 AM with Machine API"
+    branches:
+      include:
+        - main
+    always: true
 
 variables:
   SCENARIO_TYPE: perf-eval
@@ -17,6 +24,11 @@ variables:
 
 stages:
   - stage: azure_australiaeast_acn_off
+    condition: |
+        or(
+          eq(variables['Build.CronSchedule.DisplayName'], 'Every day at 3:00 PM'),
+          eq(variables['Build.Reason'], 'Manual')
+        )
     dependsOn: []
     jobs:
       - template: /jobs/competitive-test.yml
@@ -62,6 +74,11 @@ stages:
           credential_type: service_connection
           ssh_key_enabled: false
   - stage: azure_australiaeast_acn_on
+    condition: |
+        or(
+          eq(variables['Build.CronSchedule.DisplayName'], 'Every day at 3:00 PM'),
+          eq(variables['Build.Reason'], 'Manual')
+        )
     dependsOn: azure_australiaeast_acn_off
     jobs:
       - template: /jobs/competitive-test.yml
@@ -108,3 +125,107 @@ stages:
           timeout_in_minutes: 90
           credential_type: service_connection
           ssh_key_enabled: false
+  - stage: azure_australiaeast_acn_off_machineapi
+    condition: |
+        or(
+          eq(variables['Build.CronSchedule.DisplayName'], 'Every day at 3:00 AM with Machine API'),
+          eq(variables['Build.Reason'], 'Manual')
+        )
+    dependsOn: []
+    jobs:
+      - template: /jobs/competitive-test.yml
+        parameters:
+          cloud: azure
+          regions:
+            - australiaeast
+          terraform_input_file_mapping:
+            - australiaeast: "scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-machineapi.tfvars"
+          engine: clusterloader2
+          engine_input:
+            image: "ghcr.io/azure/clusterloader2:v20250912"
+          topology: cluster-automatic
+          matrix:
+            automatic-acn-off-1-node:
+              cpu_per_node: 4
+              node_count: 1
+              pod_count: 1
+              scale_up_timeout: "30m"
+              scale_down_timeout: "30m"
+              node_label_selector: "karpenter.sh/nodepool = default"
+              node_selector: "{karpenter.sh/nodepool: default}"
+              loop_count: 1
+              warmup_deployment: true
+              vm_size: Standard_D4ds_v5
+              capacity_type: on-demand
+              warmup_deployment_template: automatic/warmup_deployment.yaml
+              deployment_template: automatic/deployment_template.yaml
+            automatic-acn-off-100-nodes:
+              cpu_per_node: 4
+              node_count: 100
+              pod_count: 100
+              scale_up_timeout: "30m"
+              scale_down_timeout: "30m"
+              node_label_selector: "karpenter.sh/nodepool = default"
+              node_selector: "{karpenter.sh/nodepool: default}"
+              loop_count: 1
+              warmup_deployment: true
+              vm_size: Standard_D4ds_v5
+              capacity_type: on-demand
+              warmup_deployment_template: automatic/warmup_deployment.yaml
+              deployment_template: automatic/deployment_template.yaml
+          max_parallel: 1
+          timeout_in_minutes: 90
+          credential_type: service_connection
+          ssh_key_enabled: false
+  - stage: azure_australiaeast_acn_on_machineapi
+    condition: |
+        or(
+          eq(variables['Build.CronSchedule.DisplayName'], 'Every day at 3:00 AM with Machine API'),
+          eq(variables['Build.Reason'], 'Manual')
+        )
+    dependsOn: azure_australiaeast_acn_off_machineapi
+    jobs:
+      - template: /jobs/competitive-test.yml
+        parameters:
+          cloud: azure
+          regions:
+            - australiaeast
+          terraform_input_file_mapping:
+            - australiaeast: "scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on-machineapi.tfvars"
+          engine: clusterloader2
+          engine_input:
+            image: "ghcr.io/azure/clusterloader2:v20250912"
+          topology: cluster-automatic
+          matrix:
+            automatic-acn-on-1-node:
+              cpu_per_node: 4
+              node_count: 1
+              pod_count: 1
+              scale_up_timeout: "30m"
+              scale_down_timeout: "30m"
+              node_label_selector: "karpenter.sh/nodepool = default"
+              node_selector: "{karpenter.sh/nodepool: default}"
+              loop_count: 1
+              warmup_deployment: true
+              vm_size: Standard_D4ds_v5
+              capacity_type: on-demand
+              warmup_deployment_template: automatic/warmup_deployment.yaml
+              deployment_template: automatic/deployment_template.yaml
+            automatic-acn-on-100-nodes:
+              cpu_per_node: 4
+              node_count: 100
+              pod_count: 100
+              scale_up_timeout: "30m"
+              scale_down_timeout: "30m"
+              node_label_selector: "karpenter.sh/nodepool = default"
+              node_selector: "{karpenter.sh/nodepool: default}"
+              loop_count: 1
+              warmup_deployment: true
+              vm_size: Standard_D4ds_v5
+              capacity_type: on-demand
+              warmup_deployment_template: automatic/warmup_deployment.yaml
+              deployment_template: automatic/deployment_template.yaml
+          max_parallel: 1
+          timeout_in_minutes: 90
+          credential_type: service_connection
+          ssh_key_enabled: false
diff --git a/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on-machineapi.tfvars b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on-machineapi.tfvars
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5e70b9ffb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on-machineapi.tfvars
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+scenario_type  = "perf-eval"
+scenario_name  = "cluster-automatic"
+deletion_delay = "2h"
+owner          = "aks"
+aks_cli_config_list = [
+  {
+    role                          = "automatic"
+    aks_name                      = "automatic"
+    sku_tier                      = "Standard"
+    use_aks_preview_cli_extension = true
+    grant_rbac_permissions        = true
+    optional_parameters = [
+      {
+        name  = "sku"
+        value = "automatic" # Enable automatic
+      },
+      {
+        name  = "zones"
+        value = "1 2 3" # Must add all zones since: Managed cluster 'Automatic' SKU should enable 'AvailabilityZones' feature with recommended values
+      },
+      {
+        name  = "enable-acns" # enable ACNs
+        value = ""
+      },
+      {
+        name  = "aks-custom-headers"
+        value = "AKSHTTPCustomFeatures=Microsoft.ContainerService/AKSHTTPCustomFeatures,BootstrappingMethodTestOnly=aksmachineapiheaderbatch"
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+]
diff --git a/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on.tfvars b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on.tfvars
index 43f7f6ea91..8e4e89d451 100644
--- a/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on.tfvars
+++ b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on.tfvars
@@ -18,10 +18,14 @@ aks_cli_config_list = [
         name  = "zones"
         value = "1 2 3" # Must add all zones since: Managed cluster 'Automatic' SKU should enable 'AvailabilityZones' feature with recommended values
       },
-      {
-        name = "enable-acns" # enable ACNs
-        value = ""
-      }
-    ]
-  }
-]
\ No newline at end of file
+      {
+        name  = "enable-acns" # enable ACNs
+        value = ""
+      },
+      {
+        name  = "aks-custom-headers"
+        value = "AKSHTTPCustomFeatures=Microsoft.ContainerService/AKSHTTPCustomFeatures,BootstrappingMethodTestOnly=bootstrappingclient"
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+]
diff --git a/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-machineapi.tfvars b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-machineapi.tfvars
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..990fd04109
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure-machineapi.tfvars
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+scenario_type  = "perf-eval"
+scenario_name  = "cluster-automatic"
+deletion_delay = "2h"
+owner          = "aks"
+aks_cli_config_list = [
+  {
+    role                          = "automatic"
+    aks_name                      = "automatic"
+    sku_tier                      = "Standard"
+    use_aks_preview_cli_extension = true
+    optional_parameters = [
+      {
+        name  = "sku"
+        value = "automatic" # Enable automatic
+      },
+      {
+        name  = "zones"
+        value = "1 2 3" # Must add all zones since: Managed cluster 'Automatic' SKU should enable 'AvailabilityZones' feature with recommended values
+      },
+      {
+        name  = "aks-custom-headers"
+        value = "AKSHTTPCustomFeatures=Microsoft.ContainerService/AKSHTTPCustomFeatures,BootstrappingMethodTestOnly=aksmachineapiheaderbatch"
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+]
diff --git a/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure.tfvars b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure.tfvars
index 353c51b013..82d3292dda 100644
--- a/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure.tfvars
+++ b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-inputs/azure.tfvars
@@ -16,7 +16,11 @@ aks_cli_config_list = [
       {
         name  = "zones"
         value = "1 2 3" # Must add all zones since: Managed cluster 'Automatic' SKU should enable 'AvailabilityZones' feature with recommended values
+      },
+      {
+        name  = "aks-custom-headers"
+        value = "AKSHTTPCustomFeatures=Microsoft.ContainerService/AKSHTTPCustomFeatures,BootstrappingMethodTestOnly=bootstrappingclient"
       }
     ]
   }
-]
\ No newline at end of file
+]
diff --git a/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-test-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on-machineapi.json b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-test-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on-machineapi.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2229b1696b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-test-inputs/azure-automatic-benchmark-acn-on-machineapi.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+    "run_id"                           : "123456789",
+    "region"                           : "eastus2"
+}
diff --git a/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-test-inputs/azure-machineapi.json b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-test-inputs/azure-machineapi.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2229b1696b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scenarios/perf-eval/cluster-automatic/terraform-test-inputs/azure-machineapi.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+    "run_id"                           : "123456789",
+    "region"                           : "eastus2"
+}