diff --git a/pkg/render/windows.go b/pkg/render/windows.go
index 886a5be393..e6553012cc 100644
--- a/pkg/render/windows.go
+++ b/pkg/render/windows.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2021-2025 Tigera, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2021-2026 Tigera, Inc. All rights reserved.
 
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ func (c *windowsComponent) cniEnvVars() []corev1.EnvVar {
 
 	envVars := []corev1.EnvVar{
 		{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+		{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: string(c.cfg.Installation.CNI.Type)},
 		{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 		{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 		{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: cniNetDir},
@@ -413,6 +414,7 @@ func (c *windowsComponent) windowsVolumes() []corev1.Volume {
 func (c *windowsComponent) uninstallEnvVars() []corev1.EnvVar {
 	envVars := []corev1.EnvVar{
 		{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+		{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: string(c.cfg.Installation.CNI.Type)},
 		{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 		{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 		{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/host/etc/cni/net.d"},
@@ -540,6 +542,7 @@ func (c *windowsComponent) windowsEnvVars() []corev1.EnvVar {
 	}
 
 	windowsEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
+		{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: string(c.cfg.Installation.CNI.Type)},
 		{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 		{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 		{Name: "CLUSTER_TYPE", Value: clusterType},
diff --git a/pkg/render/windows_test.go b/pkg/render/windows_test.go
index b2a48a9a32..40652bc71f 100644
--- a/pkg/render/windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/render/windows_test.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2021-2024 Tigera, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2021-2026 Tigera, Inc. All rights reserved.
 
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -386,6 +386,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 				// Verify env
 				expectedNodeEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
+					{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 					{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 					{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 					{Name: "CALICO_MANAGE_CNI", Value: "true"},
@@ -457,6 +458,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 				expectedCNIEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 					{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+					{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 					{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 					{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 					{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/etc/cni/net.d"},
@@ -489,6 +491,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 				expectedUninstallEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 					{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+					{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 					{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 					{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 					{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/host/etc/cni/net.d"},
@@ -853,6 +856,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 				// Verify env
 				expectedNodeEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
+					{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 					{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 					{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 					{Name: "CALICO_MANAGE_CNI", Value: "true"},
@@ -935,6 +939,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 				expectedCNIEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 					{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+					{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 					{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 					{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 					{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/etc/cni/net.d"},
@@ -967,6 +972,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 				expectedUninstallEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 					{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+					{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 					{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 					{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 					{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/host/etc/cni/net.d"},
@@ -1177,6 +1183,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		// Verify env
 		expectedNodeEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 			{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 			{Name: "CALICO_MANAGE_CNI", Value: "true"},
@@ -1226,6 +1233,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		expectedCNIEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 			{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 			{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 			{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/etc/cni/net.d"},
@@ -1259,6 +1267,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		expectedUninstallEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 			{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 			{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 			{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/host/etc/cni/net.d"},
@@ -1377,6 +1386,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		// Verify env
 		expectedNodeEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "AmazonVPC"},
 			{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 			{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 			{Name: "CALICO_NETWORKING_BACKEND", Value: "none"},
@@ -1515,6 +1525,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 			// Verify env
 			expectedEnvs := []corev1.EnvVar{
+				{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: string(cni)},
 				{Name: "CALICO_NETWORKING_BACKEND", Value: "none"},
 				{Name: "FELIX_DEFAULTENDPOINTTOHOSTACTION", Value: "ACCEPT"},
 			}
@@ -1621,6 +1632,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 		Expect(ds.Spec.Template.Spec.Volumes).To(ConsistOf(expectedVols))
 
 		expectedNodeEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 			{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 			{Name: "CALICO_MANAGE_CNI", Value: "true"},
@@ -1764,6 +1776,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		expectedNodeEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 			// Default envvars.
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 			{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 			{Name: "CALICO_MANAGE_CNI", Value: "true"},
@@ -1920,6 +1933,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		expectedNodeEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 			// Default envvars.
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 			{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 			{Name: "CALICO_MANAGE_CNI", Value: "true"},
@@ -2444,6 +2458,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		// Verify env
 		expectedNodeEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "DATASTORE_TYPE", Value: "kubernetes"},
 			{Name: "WAIT_FOR_DATASTORE", Value: "true"},
 			{Name: "CALICO_NETWORKING_BACKEND", Value: "none"},
@@ -2487,6 +2502,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		expectedCNIEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 			{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 			{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 			{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/etc/cni/net.d"},
@@ -2519,6 +2535,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Windows rendering tests", func() {
 
 		expectedUninstallEnv := []corev1.EnvVar{
 			{Name: "SLEEP", Value: "false"},
+			{Name: "CNI_PLUGIN_TYPE", Value: "Calico"},
 			{Name: "CNI_BIN_DIR", Value: "/host/opt/cni/bin"},
 			{Name: "CNI_CONF_NAME", Value: "10-calico.conflist"},
 			{Name: "CNI_NET_DIR", Value: "/host/etc/cni/net.d"},