diff --git a/bundle/manifests/authorino-operator.clusterserviceversion.yaml b/bundle/manifests/authorino-operator.clusterserviceversion.yaml
index d9b7084f..dd80ebbf 100644
--- a/bundle/manifests/authorino-operator.clusterserviceversion.yaml
+++ b/bundle/manifests/authorino-operator.clusterserviceversion.yaml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ metadata:
     capabilities: Basic Install
     categories: Integration & Delivery
     containerImage: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino-operator:latest
-    createdAt: "2024-10-30T16:22:39Z"
+    createdAt: "2024-11-14T11:17:40Z"
     operators.operatorframework.io/builder: operator-sdk-v1.32.0
     operators.operatorframework.io/project_layout: go.kubebuilder.io/v3
     repository: https://github.com/Kuadrant/authorino-operator
@@ -320,6 +320,9 @@ spec:
                       - --leader-elect
                     command:
                       - /manager
+                    env:
+                      - name: RELATED_IMAGE_AUTHORINO
+                        value: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino:latest
                     image: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino-operator:latest
                     livenessProbe:
                       httpGet:
@@ -422,4 +425,7 @@ spec:
   minKubeVersion: 1.25.0
   provider:
     name: Red Hat
+  relatedImages:
+    - image: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino:latest
+      name: authorino
   version: 0.0.0
diff --git a/charts/authorino-operator/templates/manifests.yaml b/charts/authorino-operator/templates/manifests.yaml
index 854aa48a..dbfc7ab8 100644
--- a/charts/authorino-operator/templates/manifests.yaml
+++ b/charts/authorino-operator/templates/manifests.yaml
@@ -5897,6 +5897,9 @@ spec:
         - --leader-elect
         command:
         - /manager
+        env:
+        - name: RELATED_IMAGE_AUTHORINO
+          value: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino:latest
         image: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino-operator:latest
         livenessProbe:
           httpGet:
diff --git a/config/deploy/manifests.yaml b/config/deploy/manifests.yaml
index 9601202c..23614ed6 100644
--- a/config/deploy/manifests.yaml
+++ b/config/deploy/manifests.yaml
@@ -5904,6 +5904,9 @@ spec:
         - --leader-elect
         command:
         - /manager
+        env:
+        - name: RELATED_IMAGE_AUTHORINO
+          value: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino:latest
         image: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino-operator:latest
         livenessProbe:
           httpGet:
diff --git a/config/manager/manager.yaml b/config/manager/manager.yaml
index 1dc87779..af273067 100644
--- a/config/manager/manager.yaml
+++ b/config/manager/manager.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ spec:
       containers:
       - command:
         - /manager
+        env:
+        - name: RELATED_IMAGE_AUTHORINO
+          value: quay.io/kuadrant/authorino:latest
         args:
         - --leader-elect
         image: controller:latest
diff --git a/controllers/authorino_controller.go b/controllers/authorino_controller.go
index dabe2d68..0797af68 100644
--- a/controllers/authorino_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/authorino_controller.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
+	"k8s.io/utils/env"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 
@@ -191,8 +192,15 @@ func (r *AuthorinoReconciler) buildAuthorinoDeployment(authorino *api.Authorino)
 	var containers []k8score.Container
 	var saName = authorino.Name + "-authorino"
 
-	if authorino.Spec.Image == "" {
-		authorino.Spec.Image = DefaultAuthorinoImage
+	image := authorino.Spec.Image
+
+	if image == "" {
+		image = env.GetString("RELATED_IMAGE_AUTHORINO", DefaultAuthorinoImage)
+	}
+
+	if image == "" {
+		// `DefaultAuthorinoImage can be empty string. But image cannot be or deployment will fail
+		panic("DefaultAuthorinoImage is empty")
 	}
 
 	var volumes []k8score.Volume
@@ -259,8 +267,6 @@ func (r *AuthorinoReconciler) buildAuthorinoDeployment(authorino *api.Authorino)
 		volumes = append(volumes, authorinoResources.GetTlsVolume(authorinoOidcTlsCertVolumeName, secretName))
 	}
 
-	image := authorino.Spec.Image
-
 	args := r.buildAuthorinoArgs(authorino)
 	var envs []k8score.EnvVar