diff --git a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/AbstractOperatorExtension.java b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/AbstractOperatorExtension.java
index 00bf7e8380..392327cdde 100644
--- a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/AbstractOperatorExtension.java
+++ b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/AbstractOperatorExtension.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractOperatorExtension
   public static final int DEFAULT_NAMESPACE_DELETE_TIMEOUT = 90;
 
   private final KubernetesClient kubernetesClient;
+  private final KubernetesClient infrastructureKubernetesClient;
   protected final List<HasMetadata> infrastructure;
   protected Duration infrastructureTimeout;
   protected final boolean oneNamespacePerClass;
@@ -56,10 +57,15 @@ protected AbstractOperatorExtension(
       boolean preserveNamespaceOnError,
       boolean waitForNamespaceDeletion,
       KubernetesClient kubernetesClient,
+      KubernetesClient infrastructureKubernetesClient,
       Function<ExtensionContext, String> namespaceNameSupplier,
       Function<ExtensionContext, String> perClassNamespaceNameSupplier) {
+    this.infrastructureKubernetesClient =
+        infrastructureKubernetesClient != null
+            ? infrastructureKubernetesClient
+            : new KubernetesClientBuilder().build();
     this.kubernetesClient =
-        kubernetesClient != null ? kubernetesClient : new KubernetesClientBuilder().build();
+        kubernetesClient != null ? kubernetesClient : this.infrastructureKubernetesClient;
     this.infrastructure = infrastructure;
     this.infrastructureTimeout = infrastructureTimeout;
     this.oneNamespacePerClass = oneNamespacePerClass;
@@ -94,6 +100,11 @@ public KubernetesClient getKubernetesClient() {
     return kubernetesClient;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public KubernetesClient getInfrastructureKubernetesClient() {
+    return infrastructureKubernetesClient;
+  }
+
   public String getNamespace() {
     return namespace;
   }
@@ -137,7 +148,7 @@ protected void beforeEachImpl(ExtensionContext context) {
   protected void before(ExtensionContext context) {
     LOGGER.info("Initializing integration test in namespace {}", namespace);
 
-    kubernetesClient
+    infrastructureKubernetesClient
         .namespaces()
         .resource(
             new NamespaceBuilder()
@@ -145,8 +156,8 @@ protected void before(ExtensionContext context) {
                 .build())
         .serverSideApply();
 
-    kubernetesClient.resourceList(infrastructure).serverSideApply();
-    kubernetesClient
+    infrastructureKubernetesClient.resourceList(infrastructure).serverSideApply();
+    infrastructureKubernetesClient
         .resourceList(infrastructure)
         .waitUntilReady(infrastructureTimeout.toMillis(), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
   }
@@ -168,16 +179,19 @@ protected void after(ExtensionContext context) {
       if (preserveNamespaceOnError && context.getExecutionException().isPresent()) {
         LOGGER.info("Preserving namespace {}", namespace);
       } else {
-        kubernetesClient.resourceList(infrastructure).delete();
+        infrastructureKubernetesClient.resourceList(infrastructure).delete();
         deleteOperator();
         LOGGER.info("Deleting namespace {} and stopping operator", namespace);
-        kubernetesClient.namespaces().withName(namespace).delete();
+        infrastructureKubernetesClient.namespaces().withName(namespace).delete();
         if (waitForNamespaceDeletion) {
           LOGGER.info("Waiting for namespace {} to be deleted", namespace);
           Awaitility.await("namespace deleted")
               .pollInterval(50, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
               .atMost(namespaceDeleteTimeout, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
-              .until(() -> kubernetesClient.namespaces().withName(namespace).get() == null);
+              .until(
+                  () ->
+                      infrastructureKubernetesClient.namespaces().withName(namespace).get()
+                          == null);
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension.java b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension.java
index 3fc49d4575..577dd8dae0 100644
--- a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension.java
+++ b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ private ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension(
       boolean waitForNamespaceDeletion,
       boolean oneNamespacePerClass,
       KubernetesClient kubernetesClient,
+      KubernetesClient infrastructureKubernetesClient,
       Function<ExtensionContext, String> namespaceNameSupplier,
       Function<ExtensionContext, String> perClassNamespaceNameSupplier) {
     super(
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ private ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension(
         preserveNamespaceOnError,
         waitForNamespaceDeletion,
         kubernetesClient,
+        infrastructureKubernetesClient,
         namespaceNameSupplier,
         perClassNamespaceNameSupplier);
     this.operatorDeployment = operatorDeployment;
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ protected void before(ExtensionContext context) {
     final var crdPath = "./target/classes/META-INF/fabric8/";
     final var crdSuffix = "-v1.yml";
 
-    final var kubernetesClient = getKubernetesClient();
+    final var kubernetesClient = getInfrastructureKubernetesClient();
     for (var crdFile :
         Objects.requireNonNull(
             new File(crdPath).listFiles((ignored, name) -> name.endsWith(crdSuffix)))) {
@@ -107,13 +109,17 @@ protected void before(ExtensionContext context) {
 
   @Override
   protected void deleteOperator() {
-    getKubernetesClient().resourceList(operatorDeployment).inNamespace(namespace).delete();
+    getInfrastructureKubernetesClient()
+        .resourceList(operatorDeployment)
+        .inNamespace(namespace)
+        .delete();
   }
 
   public static class Builder extends AbstractBuilder<Builder> {
     private final List<HasMetadata> operatorDeployment;
     private Duration deploymentTimeout;
     private KubernetesClient kubernetesClient;
+    private KubernetesClient infrastructureKubernetesClient;
 
     protected Builder() {
       super();
@@ -151,6 +157,12 @@ public Builder withKubernetesClient(KubernetesClient kubernetesClient) {
     }
 
     public ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension build() {
+      infrastructureKubernetesClient =
+          infrastructureKubernetesClient != null
+              ? infrastructureKubernetesClient
+              : new KubernetesClientBuilder().build();
+      kubernetesClient =
+          kubernetesClient != null ? kubernetesClient : infrastructureKubernetesClient;
       return new ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension(
           operatorDeployment,
           deploymentTimeout,
@@ -159,7 +171,8 @@ public ClusterDeployedOperatorExtension build() {
           preserveNamespaceOnError,
           waitForNamespaceDeletion,
           oneNamespacePerClass,
-          kubernetesClient != null ? kubernetesClient : new KubernetesClientBuilder().build(),
+          kubernetesClient,
+          infrastructureKubernetesClient,
           namespaceNameSupplier,
           perClassNamespaceNameSupplier);
     }
diff --git a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/HasKubernetesClient.java b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/HasKubernetesClient.java
index d93032333f..683e9e03fc 100644
--- a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/HasKubernetesClient.java
+++ b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/HasKubernetesClient.java
@@ -4,4 +4,6 @@
 
 public interface HasKubernetesClient {
   KubernetesClient getKubernetesClient();
+
+  KubernetesClient getInfrastructureKubernetesClient();
 }
diff --git a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/LocallyRunOperatorExtension.java b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/LocallyRunOperatorExtension.java
index 3e6ad35e52..1b5dd07a06 100644
--- a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/LocallyRunOperatorExtension.java
+++ b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/LocallyRunOperatorExtension.java
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ private LocallyRunOperatorExtension(
       boolean waitForNamespaceDeletion,
       boolean oneNamespacePerClass,
       KubernetesClient kubernetesClient,
+      KubernetesClient infrastructureKubernetesClient,
       Consumer<ConfigurationServiceOverrider> configurationServiceOverrider,
       Function<ExtensionContext, String> namespaceNameSupplier,
       Function<ExtensionContext, String> perClassNamespaceNameSupplier,
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ private LocallyRunOperatorExtension(
         preserveNamespaceOnError,
         waitForNamespaceDeletion,
         kubernetesClient,
+        infrastructureKubernetesClient,
         namespaceNameSupplier,
         perClassNamespaceNameSupplier);
     this.reconcilers = reconcilers;
@@ -237,7 +239,7 @@ public Operator getOperator() {
   protected void before(ExtensionContext context) {
     super.before(context);
 
-    final var kubernetesClient = getKubernetesClient();
+    final var kubernetesClient = getInfrastructureKubernetesClient();
 
     for (var ref : portForwards) {
       String podName =
@@ -306,7 +308,7 @@ protected void before(ExtensionContext context) {
   protected void after(ExtensionContext context) {
     super.after(context);
 
-    var kubernetesClient = getKubernetesClient();
+    var kubernetesClient = getInfrastructureKubernetesClient();
 
     var iterator = appliedCRDs.iterator();
     while (iterator.hasNext()) {
@@ -357,6 +359,7 @@ public static class Builder extends AbstractBuilder<Builder> {
     private final List<Class<? extends CustomResource>> additionalCustomResourceDefinitions;
     private final List<String> additionalCRDs = new ArrayList<>();
     private KubernetesClient kubernetesClient;
+    private KubernetesClient infrastructureKubernetesClient;
 
     protected Builder() {
       super();
@@ -411,6 +414,12 @@ public Builder withKubernetesClient(KubernetesClient kubernetesClient) {
       return this;
     }
 
+    public Builder withInfrastructureKubernetesClient(
+        KubernetesClient infrastructureKubernetesClient) {
+      this.infrastructureKubernetesClient = infrastructureKubernetesClient;
+      return this;
+    }
+
     public Builder withAdditionalCustomResourceDefinition(
         Class<? extends CustomResource> customResource) {
       additionalCustomResourceDefinitions.add(customResource);
@@ -435,6 +444,7 @@ public LocallyRunOperatorExtension build() {
           waitForNamespaceDeletion,
           oneNamespacePerClass,
           kubernetesClient,
+          infrastructureKubernetesClient,
           configurationServiceOverrider,
           namespaceNameSupplier,
           perClassNamespaceNameSupplier,