diff --git a/examples/basic/Genesis.yaml b/examples/basic/Genesis.yaml
index 27160ecf..3f97c6a5 100644
--- a/examples/basic/Genesis.yaml
+++ b/examples/basic/Genesis.yaml
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ data:
     run_as_user: 65534
   images:
     armada: quay.io/airshipit/armada:latest-ubuntu_focal
+    armada-operator: quay.io/raliev12/armada-controller:latest
     kubernetes:
       apiserver: registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver-amd64:v1.27.4
       controller-manager: registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager-amd64:v1.27.4
diff --git a/examples/complete/Genesis.yaml b/examples/complete/Genesis.yaml
index de173e42..e5afc724 100644
--- a/examples/complete/Genesis.yaml
+++ b/examples/complete/Genesis.yaml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ data:
     run_as_user: 65534
   images:
     armada: quay.io/airshipit/armada:latest-ubuntu_focal
+    armada-operator: quay.io/raliev12/armada-controller:latest
     kubernetes:
       apiserver: registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver-amd64:v1.27.4
       controller-manager: registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager-amd64:v1.27.4
diff --git a/promenade/schemas/Genesis.yaml b/promenade/schemas/Genesis.yaml
index a251a537..1731945f 100644
--- a/promenade/schemas/Genesis.yaml
+++ b/promenade/schemas/Genesis.yaml
@@ -149,11 +149,16 @@ data:
             $ref: '#/definitions/kubernetes_label'
       additionalProperties: false
 
+    enable_operator:
+      type: boolean
+
     images:
       type: object
       properties:
         armada:
           $ref: '#/definitions/image'
+        armada-operator:
+          $ref: '#/definitions/image'
         kubernetes:
           type: object
           properties:
diff --git a/promenade/templates/roles/genesis/etc/kubernetes/manifests/bootstrap-armada.yaml b/promenade/templates/roles/genesis/etc/kubernetes/manifests/bootstrap-armada.yaml
index fdcece02..63acaf33 100644
--- a/promenade/templates/roles/genesis/etc/kubernetes/manifests/bootstrap-armada.yaml
+++ b/promenade/templates/roles/genesis/etc/kubernetes/manifests/bootstrap-armada.yaml
@@ -68,6 +68,37 @@ spec:
           mountPath: /tmp/log
         - name: metrics
           mountPath: /tmp/metrics
+{%- if config['Genesis:enable_operator'] is sameas true %}
+    - args:
+      - --health-probe-bind-address=:8081
+      - --metrics-bind-address=127.0.0.1:8080
+      - --leader-elect
+      - --leader-elect-namespace=ucp
+      command:
+      - /manager
+      env:
+      - name: KUBECONFIG
+        value: /root/.kube/config
+      image: {{ config['Genesis:images.armada-operator'] }}
+      livenessProbe:
+        httpGet:
+          path: /healthz
+          port: 8081
+        initialDelaySeconds: 15
+        periodSeconds: 20
+      name: manager
+      readinessProbe:
+        httpGet:
+          path: /readyz
+          port: 8081
+        initialDelaySeconds: 5
+        periodSeconds: 10
+      securityContext:
+        runAsUser: 0
+      volumeMounts:
+        - name: auth
+          mountPath: /root/.kube
+{%- endif %}
     - name: monitor
       image: {{ config['HostSystem:images.monitoring_image'] }}
       command:
diff --git a/tests/unit/builder_data/simple/Genesis.yaml b/tests/unit/builder_data/simple/Genesis.yaml
index 5dc45303..b6c7a7ab 100644
--- a/tests/unit/builder_data/simple/Genesis.yaml
+++ b/tests/unit/builder_data/simple/Genesis.yaml
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ data:
       - ucp-control-plane=enabled
   images:
     armada: quay.io/airshipit/armada:latest-ubuntu_focal
+    armada-operator: quay.io/raliev12/armada-controller:latest
     kubernetes:
       apiserver: registry.k8s.io/kube-apiserver-amd64:v1.27.4
       controller-manager: registry.k8s.io/kube-controller-manager-amd64:v1.27.4
       etcd: quay.io/coreos/etcd:v3.5.6
       scheduler: registry.k8s.io/kube-scheduler-amd64:v1.27.4
+  enable_operator: false
   files:
     - path: /var/lib/anchor/calico-etcd-bootstrap
       content: "# placeholder for triggering calico etcd bootstrapping"
diff --git a/tools/gate/config-templates/genesis-config.yaml b/tools/gate/config-templates/genesis-config.yaml
index 95a0d869..8d7f93a7 100644
--- a/tools/gate/config-templates/genesis-config.yaml
+++ b/tools/gate/config-templates/genesis-config.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ data:
       controller-manager: ${IMAGE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER}
       etcd: ${IMAGE_ETCD}
       scheduler: ${IMAGE_SCHEDULER}
+  enable_operator: false
   files:
     - path: /var/lib/anchor/calico-etcd-bootstrap
       content: ""
diff --git a/tools/gate/default-config-env b/tools/gate/default-config-env
index 46e3499c..3d7c51ea 100644
--- a/tools/gate/default-config-env
+++ b/tools/gate/default-config-env
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 IMAGE_ARMADA=quay.io/airshipit/armada:latest-ubuntu_focal
+IMAGE_ARMADA_OPERATOR=quay.io/raliev12/armada-controller:latest
 IMAGE_CALICO_CNI=quay.io/calico/cni:v3.4.0
 IMAGE_CALICO_CTL=quay.io/calico/ctl:v3.4.0
 IMAGE_CALICO_KUBE_CONTROLLERS=quay.io/calico/kube-controllers:v3.4.0
diff --git a/tools/registry/IMAGES b/tools/registry/IMAGES
index d0dacefd..26d72ede 100644
--- a/tools/registry/IMAGES
+++ b/tools/registry/IMAGES
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ registry.k8s.io/kube-scheduler-amd64,v1.27.4,scheduler
 registry.k8s.io/kube-proxy-amd64,v1.27.4,proxy
 lachlanevenson/k8s-helm,v3.12.2,helm
 quay.io/airshipit/armada,master,armada
+quay.io/raliev12/armada-controller,latest,armada-operator
 quay.io/calico/cni,v3.4.0,calico-cni
 quay.io/calico/ctl,v3.4.0,calico-ctl
 quay.io/calico/kube-controllers,v3.4.0,calico-kube-controllers