diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/ReconcilerUtils.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/ReconcilerUtils.java
index ea7c58acfb..2a87e045fd 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/ReconcilerUtils.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/ReconcilerUtils.java
@@ -6,14 +6,11 @@
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Locale;
-import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.function.Predicate;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.builder.Builder;
-import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.GenericKubernetesResource;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.HasMetadata;
-import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Namespaced;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.CustomResource;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.KubernetesClientException;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.utils.Serialization;
@@ -73,36 +70,6 @@ public static String getNameFor(Class<? extends Reconciler> reconcilerClass) {
     return getDefaultNameFor(reconcilerClass);
   }
 
-  public static void checkIfCanAddOwnerReference(HasMetadata owner, HasMetadata resource) {
-    if (owner instanceof GenericKubernetesResource
-        || resource instanceof GenericKubernetesResource) {
-      return;
-    }
-    if (owner instanceof Namespaced) {
-      if (!(resource instanceof Namespaced)) {
-        throw new OperatorException(
-            "Cannot add owner reference from a cluster scoped to a namespace scoped resource."
-                + resourcesIdentifierDescription(owner, resource));
-      } else if (!Objects.equals(
-          owner.getMetadata().getNamespace(), resource.getMetadata().getNamespace())) {
-        throw new OperatorException(
-            "Cannot add owner reference between two resource in different namespaces."
-                + resourcesIdentifierDescription(owner, resource));
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  private static String resourcesIdentifierDescription(HasMetadata owner, HasMetadata resource) {
-    return " Owner name: "
-        + owner.getMetadata().getName()
-        + " Kind: "
-        + owner.getKind()
-        + ", Resource name: "
-        + resource.getMetadata().getName()
-        + " Kind: "
-        + resource.getKind();
-  }
-
   public static String getNameFor(Reconciler reconciler) {
     return getNameFor(reconciler.getClass());
   }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ConfigurationService.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ConfigurationService.java
index 864b65c3f7..3a2e00c2a8 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ConfigurationService.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ConfigurationService.java
@@ -493,8 +493,7 @@ default boolean parseResourceVersionsForEventFilteringAndCaching() {
 
   /**
    * {@link io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.UpdateControl} patch resource or status can
-   * either use simple patches or SSA. Setting this to {@code true}, controllers will use SSA for
-   * adding finalizers, patching resources and status.
+   * either use simple patches or SSA. Setting this to {@code true}, patching resources and status.
    *
    * @return {@code true} if Server-Side Apply (SSA) should be used when patching the primary
    *     resources, {@code false} otherwise
@@ -505,6 +504,18 @@ default boolean useSSAToPatchPrimaryResource() {
     return true;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Setting this to {@code true}, controllers will use SSA for adding finalizers.
+   *
+   * @return {@code true} if Server-Side Apply (SSA) should be used when managing finalizers, {@code
+   *     false} otherwise
+   * @see ConfigurationServiceOverrider#withUseSSAToAddFinalizer(boolean)
+   * @since 5.1.2
+   */
+  default boolean useSSAToAddFinalizer() {
+    return true;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Determines whether resources retrieved from caches such as via calls to {@link
    * Context#getSecondaryResource(Class)} should be defensively cloned first.
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ConfigurationServiceOverrider.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ConfigurationServiceOverrider.java
index be86cbe312..47da97ee85 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ConfigurationServiceOverrider.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ConfigurationServiceOverrider.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ public class ConfigurationServiceOverrider {
   private Boolean previousAnnotationForDependentResources;
   private Boolean parseResourceVersions;
   private Boolean useSSAToPatchPrimaryResource;
+  private Boolean useSSAToAddFinalizer;
   private Boolean cloneSecondaryResourcesWhenGettingFromCache;
   private Set<Class<? extends HasMetadata>> previousAnnotationUsageBlocklist;
 
@@ -183,6 +184,11 @@ public ConfigurationServiceOverrider withUseSSAToPatchPrimaryResource(boolean va
     return this;
   }
 
+  public ConfigurationServiceOverrider withUseSSAToAddFinalizer(boolean value) {
+    this.useSSAToAddFinalizer = value;
+    return this;
+  }
+
   public ConfigurationServiceOverrider withCloneSecondaryResourcesWhenGettingFromCache(
       boolean value) {
     this.cloneSecondaryResourcesWhenGettingFromCache = value;
@@ -336,6 +342,12 @@ public boolean useSSAToPatchPrimaryResource() {
             useSSAToPatchPrimaryResource, ConfigurationService::useSSAToPatchPrimaryResource);
       }
 
+      @Override
+      public boolean useSSAToAddFinalizer() {
+        return overriddenValueOrDefault(
+            useSSAToAddFinalizer, ConfigurationService::useSSAToPatchPrimaryResource);
+      }
+
       @Override
       public boolean cloneSecondaryResourcesWhenGettingFromCache() {
         return overriddenValueOrDefault(
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/Field.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/Field.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3acd193cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/Field.java
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer;
+
+public @interface Field {
+
+  String path();
+
+  String value();
+
+  boolean negated() default false;
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/FieldSelector.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/FieldSelector.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..412ffafdfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/FieldSelector.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer;
+
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.List;
+
+public class FieldSelector {
+  private final List<Field> fields;
+
+  public FieldSelector(List<Field> fields) {
+    this.fields = fields;
+  }
+
+  public FieldSelector(Field... fields) {
+    this.fields = Arrays.asList(fields);
+  }
+
+  public List<Field> getFields() {
+    return fields;
+  }
+
+  public record Field(String path, String value, boolean negated) {
+    public Field(String path, String value) {
+      this(path, value, false);
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/FieldSelectorBuilder.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/FieldSelectorBuilder.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b2cf4d0b5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/FieldSelectorBuilder.java
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+public class FieldSelectorBuilder {
+
+  private final List<FieldSelector.Field> fields = new ArrayList<>();
+
+  public FieldSelectorBuilder withField(String path, String value) {
+    fields.add(new FieldSelector.Field(path, value));
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  public FieldSelectorBuilder withoutField(String path, String value) {
+    fields.add(new FieldSelector.Field(path, value, true));
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  public FieldSelector build() {
+    return new FieldSelector(fields);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/Informer.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/Informer.java
index 80a025009d..cf40da317e 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/Informer.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/Informer.java
@@ -113,4 +113,7 @@
    * the informer cache.
    */
   long informerListLimit() default NO_LONG_VALUE_SET;
+
+  /** Kubernetes field selector for additional resource filtering */
+  Field[] fieldSelector() default {};
 }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerConfiguration.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerConfiguration.java
index 958a2a7a6f..5fbb62daff 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerConfiguration.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerConfiguration.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer;
 
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ public class InformerConfiguration<R extends HasMetadata> {
   private GenericFilter<? super R> genericFilter;
   private ItemStore<R> itemStore;
   private Long informerListLimit;
+  private FieldSelector fieldSelector;
 
   protected InformerConfiguration(
       Class<R> resourceClass,
@@ -48,7 +50,8 @@ protected InformerConfiguration(
       OnDeleteFilter<? super R> onDeleteFilter,
       GenericFilter<? super R> genericFilter,
       ItemStore<R> itemStore,
-      Long informerListLimit) {
+      Long informerListLimit,
+      FieldSelector fieldSelector) {
     this(resourceClass);
     this.name = name;
     this.namespaces = namespaces;
@@ -60,6 +63,7 @@ protected InformerConfiguration(
     this.genericFilter = genericFilter;
     this.itemStore = itemStore;
     this.informerListLimit = informerListLimit;
+    this.fieldSelector = fieldSelector;
   }
 
   private InformerConfiguration(Class<R> resourceClass) {
@@ -93,7 +97,8 @@ public static <R extends HasMetadata> InformerConfiguration<R>.Builder builder(
             original.onDeleteFilter,
             original.genericFilter,
             original.itemStore,
-            original.informerListLimit)
+            original.informerListLimit,
+            original.fieldSelector)
         .builder;
   }
 
@@ -264,6 +269,10 @@ public Long getInformerListLimit() {
     return informerListLimit;
   }
 
+  public FieldSelector getFieldSelector() {
+    return fieldSelector;
+  }
+
   @SuppressWarnings("UnusedReturnValue")
   public class Builder {
 
@@ -329,6 +338,12 @@ public InformerConfiguration<R>.Builder initFromAnnotation(
         final var informerListLimit =
             informerListLimitValue == Constants.NO_LONG_VALUE_SET ? null : informerListLimitValue;
         withInformerListLimit(informerListLimit);
+
+        withFieldSelector(
+            new FieldSelector(
+                Arrays.stream(informerConfig.fieldSelector())
+                    .map(f -> new FieldSelector.Field(f.path(), f.value(), f.negated()))
+                    .toList()));
       }
       return this;
     }
@@ -424,5 +439,10 @@ public Builder withInformerListLimit(Long informerListLimit) {
       InformerConfiguration.this.informerListLimit = informerListLimit;
       return this;
     }
+
+    public Builder withFieldSelector(FieldSelector fieldSelector) {
+      InformerConfiguration.this.fieldSelector = fieldSelector;
+      return this;
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerEventSourceConfiguration.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerEventSourceConfiguration.java
index 2369d5f523..6a38c59bd1 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerEventSourceConfiguration.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerEventSourceConfiguration.java
@@ -265,6 +265,11 @@ public Builder<R> withInformerListLimit(Long informerListLimit) {
       return this;
     }
 
+    public Builder<R> withFieldSelector(FieldSelector fieldSelector) {
+      config.withFieldSelector(fieldSelector);
+      return this;
+    }
+
     public void updateFrom(InformerConfiguration<R> informerConfig) {
       if (informerConfig != null) {
         final var informerConfigName = informerConfig.getName();
@@ -281,7 +286,8 @@ public void updateFrom(InformerConfiguration<R> informerConfig) {
             .withOnUpdateFilter(informerConfig.getOnUpdateFilter())
             .withOnDeleteFilter(informerConfig.getOnDeleteFilter())
             .withGenericFilter(informerConfig.getGenericFilter())
-            .withInformerListLimit(informerConfig.getInformerListLimit());
+            .withInformerListLimit(informerConfig.getInformerListLimit())
+            .withFieldSelector(informerConfig.getFieldSelector());
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResource.java
index ebd6089aa7..caf9a305ec 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResource.java
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.HasMetadata;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Namespaced;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.dsl.Resource;
-import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.ReconcilerUtils;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.dependent.Configured;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer.InformerEventSourceConfiguration;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
@@ -206,7 +205,6 @@ protected Resource<R> prepare(Context<P> context, R desired, P primary, String a
 
   protected void addReferenceHandlingMetadata(R desired, P primary) {
     if (addOwnerReference()) {
-      ReconcilerUtils.checkIfCanAddOwnerReference(primary, desired);
       desired.addOwnerReference(primary);
     } else if (useNonOwnerRefBasedSecondaryToPrimaryMapping()) {
       addSecondaryToPrimaryMapperAnnotations(desired, primary);
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/ReconciliationDispatcher.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/ReconciliationDispatcher.java
index c4b161ef27..93ebf77211 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/ReconciliationDispatcher.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/ReconciliationDispatcher.java
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class ReconciliationDispatcher<P extends HasMetadata> {
   private final boolean retryConfigurationHasZeroAttempts;
   private final Cloner cloner;
   private final boolean useSSA;
+  private final boolean useSSAToAddFinalizer;
 
   ReconciliationDispatcher(Controller<P> controller, CustomResourceFacade<P> customResourceFacade) {
     this.controller = controller;
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ class ReconciliationDispatcher<P extends HasMetadata> {
     var retry = configuration.getRetry();
     retryConfigurationHasZeroAttempts = retry == null || retry.initExecution().isLastAttempt();
     useSSA = configuration.getConfigurationService().useSSAToPatchPrimaryResource();
+    useSSAToAddFinalizer = configuration.getConfigurationService().useSSAToAddFinalizer();
   }
 
   public ReconciliationDispatcher(Controller<P> controller) {
@@ -119,7 +121,7 @@ private PostExecutionControl<P> handleReconcile(
        * finalizer.
        */
       P updatedResource;
-      if (useSSA) {
+      if (useSSAToAddFinalizer) {
         updatedResource = addFinalizerWithSSA(originalResource);
       } else {
         updatedResource = updateCustomResourceWithFinalizer(resourceForExecution, originalResource);
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerManager.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerManager.java
index 1e1607dd8b..f833edffe6 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerManager.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerManager.java
@@ -134,6 +134,18 @@ private InformerWrapper<R> createEventSource(
       ResourceEventHandler<R> eventHandler,
       String namespaceIdentifier) {
     final var informerConfig = configuration.getInformerConfig();
+
+    if (informerConfig.getFieldSelector() != null
+        && !informerConfig.getFieldSelector().getFields().isEmpty()) {
+      for (var f : informerConfig.getFieldSelector().getFields()) {
+        if (f.negated()) {
+          filteredBySelectorClient = filteredBySelectorClient.withoutField(f.path(), f.value());
+        } else {
+          filteredBySelectorClient = filteredBySelectorClient.withField(f.path(), f.value());
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     var informer =
         Optional.ofNullable(informerConfig.getInformerListLimit())
             .map(filteredBySelectorClient::withLimit)
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/ReconcilerUtilsTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/ReconcilerUtilsTest.java
index abc83b94ff..6445373c78 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/ReconcilerUtilsTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/ReconcilerUtilsTest.java
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.Deployment;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.DeploymentBuilder;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.DeploymentSpec;
-import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.rbac.ClusterRole;
-import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.rbac.ClusterRoleBuilder;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.CustomResource;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.KubernetesClientException;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.http.HttpRequest;
@@ -154,44 +152,6 @@ void handleKubernetesExceptionShouldThrowMissingCRDExceptionWhenAppropriate() {
                 HasMetadata.getFullResourceName(Tomcat.class)));
   }
 
-  @Test
-  void checksIfOwnerReferenceCanBeAdded() {
-    assertThrows(
-        OperatorException.class,
-        () ->
-            ReconcilerUtils.checkIfCanAddOwnerReference(
-                namespacedResource(), namespacedResourceFromOtherNamespace()));
-
-    assertThrows(
-        OperatorException.class,
-        () ->
-            ReconcilerUtils.checkIfCanAddOwnerReference(
-                namespacedResource(), clusterScopedResource()));
-
-    assertDoesNotThrow(
-        () -> {
-          ReconcilerUtils.checkIfCanAddOwnerReference(
-              clusterScopedResource(), clusterScopedResource());
-          ReconcilerUtils.checkIfCanAddOwnerReference(namespacedResource(), namespacedResource());
-        });
-  }
-
-  private ClusterRole clusterScopedResource() {
-    return new ClusterRoleBuilder().withMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder().build()).build();
-  }
-
-  private ConfigMap namespacedResource() {
-    return new ConfigMapBuilder()
-        .withMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder().withNamespace("testns1").build())
-        .build();
-  }
-
-  private ConfigMap namespacedResourceFromOtherNamespace() {
-    return new ConfigMapBuilder()
-        .withMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder().withNamespace("testns2").build())
-        .build();
-  }
-
   @Group("tomcatoperator.io")
   @Version("v1")
   @ShortNames("tc")
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/ReconciliationDispatcherTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/ReconciliationDispatcherTest.java
index 89f3655356..6d5c309e83 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/ReconciliationDispatcherTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/ReconciliationDispatcherTest.java
@@ -62,18 +62,18 @@ class ReconciliationDispatcherTest {
 
   @BeforeEach
   void setup() {
-    initConfigService(true);
+    initConfigService(true, true);
     testCustomResource = TestUtils.testCustomResource();
     reconciler = spy(new TestReconciler());
     reconciliationDispatcher =
         init(testCustomResource, reconciler, null, customResourceFacade, true);
   }
 
-  static void initConfigService(boolean useSSA) {
-    initConfigService(useSSA, true);
+  static void initConfigService(boolean useSSA, boolean useSSAForFinalizer) {
+    initConfigService(useSSA, useSSAForFinalizer, true);
   }
 
-  static void initConfigService(boolean useSSA, boolean noCloning) {
+  static void initConfigService(boolean useSSA, boolean useSSAForFinalizer, boolean noCloning) {
     /*
      * We need this for mock reconcilers to properly generate the expected UpdateControl: without
      * this, calls such as `when(reconciler.reconcile(eq(testCustomResource),
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ public <R extends HasMetadata> R clone(R object) {
                             }
                           }
                         })
-                    .withUseSSAToPatchPrimaryResource(useSSA));
+                    .withUseSSAToPatchPrimaryResource(useSSA)
+                    .withUseSSAToAddFinalizer(useSSAForFinalizer));
   }
 
   private <R extends HasMetadata> ReconciliationDispatcher<R> init(
@@ -149,7 +150,7 @@ void addFinalizerOnNewResource() {
 
   @Test
   void addFinalizerOnNewResourceWithoutSSA() {
-    initConfigService(false);
+    initConfigService(false, false);
     final ReconciliationDispatcher<TestCustomResource> dispatcher =
         init(testCustomResource, reconciler, null, customResourceFacade, true);
 
@@ -640,7 +641,7 @@ void canSkipSchedulingMaxDelayIf() {
 
   @Test
   void retriesAddingFinalizerWithoutSSA() {
-    initConfigService(false);
+    initConfigService(true, false);
     reconciliationDispatcher =
         init(testCustomResource, reconciler, null, customResourceFacade, true);
 
@@ -683,7 +684,7 @@ void reSchedulesFromErrorHandler() {
 
   @Test
   void reconcilerContextUsesTheSameInstanceOfResourceAsParam() {
-    initConfigService(false, false);
+    initConfigService(false, false, false);
 
     final ReconciliationDispatcher<TestCustomResource> dispatcher =
         init(testCustomResource, reconciler, null, customResourceFacade, true);
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/fieldselector/FieldSelectorIT.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/fieldselector/FieldSelectorIT.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5b32f15265
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/fieldselector/FieldSelectorIT.java
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.fieldselector;
+
+import java.time.Duration;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.RegisterExtension;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.SecretBuilder;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.junit.LocallyRunOperatorExtension;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.ResourceID;
+
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.fieldselector.FieldSelectorTestReconciler.MY_SECRET_TYPE;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.fieldselector.FieldSelectorTestReconciler.OTHER_SECRET_TYPE;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.awaitility.Awaitility.await;
+
+class FieldSelectorIT {
+
+  public static final String TEST_1 = "test1";
+  public static final String TEST_2 = "test2";
+  public static final String TEST_3 = "test3";
+
+  @RegisterExtension
+  LocallyRunOperatorExtension extension =
+      LocallyRunOperatorExtension.builder()
+          .withReconciler(new FieldSelectorTestReconciler())
+          .build();
+
+  @Test
+  void filtersCustomResourceByLabel() {
+
+    var customPrimarySecret =
+        extension.create(
+            new SecretBuilder()
+                .withMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder().withName(TEST_1).build())
+                .withType(MY_SECRET_TYPE)
+                .build());
+
+    var otherSecret =
+        extension.create(
+            new SecretBuilder()
+                .withMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder().withName(TEST_2).build())
+                .build());
+
+    var dependentSecret =
+        extension.create(
+            new SecretBuilder()
+                .withMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder().withName(TEST_3).build())
+                .withType(OTHER_SECRET_TYPE)
+                .build());
+
+    await()
+        .pollDelay(Duration.ofMillis(150))
+        .untilAsserted(
+            () -> {
+              var r = extension.getReconcilerOfType(FieldSelectorTestReconciler.class);
+              assertThat(r.getReconciledSecrets()).containsExactly(TEST_1);
+
+              assertThat(
+                      r.getDependentSecretEventSource()
+                          .get(ResourceID.fromResource(dependentSecret)))
+                  .isPresent();
+              assertThat(
+                      r.getDependentSecretEventSource()
+                          .get(ResourceID.fromResource(customPrimarySecret)))
+                  .isNotPresent();
+              assertThat(
+                      r.getDependentSecretEventSource().get(ResourceID.fromResource(otherSecret)))
+                  .isNotPresent();
+            });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/fieldselector/FieldSelectorTestReconciler.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/fieldselector/FieldSelectorTestReconciler.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1e3fddcf83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/fieldselector/FieldSelectorTestReconciler.java
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.fieldselector;
+
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Secret;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer.Field;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer.FieldSelectorBuilder;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer.Informer;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.informer.InformerEventSourceConfiguration;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.ControllerConfiguration;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.EventSourceContext;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Reconciler;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.UpdateControl;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.source.EventSource;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.source.informer.InformerEventSource;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.support.TestExecutionInfoProvider;
+
+@ControllerConfiguration(
+    informer =
+        @Informer(
+            fieldSelector =
+                @Field(path = "type", value = FieldSelectorTestReconciler.MY_SECRET_TYPE)))
+public class FieldSelectorTestReconciler implements Reconciler<Secret>, TestExecutionInfoProvider {
+
+  public static final String MY_SECRET_TYPE = "my-secret-type";
+  public static final String OTHER_SECRET_TYPE = "my-dependent-secret-type";
+  private final AtomicInteger numberOfExecutions = new AtomicInteger(0);
+
+  private Set<String> reconciledSecrets = Collections.synchronizedSet(new HashSet<>());
+  private InformerEventSource<Secret, Secret> dependentSecretEventSource;
+
+  @Override
+  public UpdateControl<Secret> reconcile(Secret resource, Context<Secret> context) {
+    reconciledSecrets.add(resource.getMetadata().getName());
+    numberOfExecutions.addAndGet(1);
+    return UpdateControl.noUpdate();
+  }
+
+  public int getNumberOfExecutions() {
+    return numberOfExecutions.get();
+  }
+
+  public Set<String> getReconciledSecrets() {
+    return reconciledSecrets;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public List<EventSource<?, Secret>> prepareEventSources(EventSourceContext<Secret> context) {
+    dependentSecretEventSource =
+        new InformerEventSource<>(
+            InformerEventSourceConfiguration.from(Secret.class, Secret.class)
+                .withNamespacesInheritedFromController()
+                .withFieldSelector(
+                    new FieldSelectorBuilder().withField("type", OTHER_SECRET_TYPE).build())
+                .build(),
+            context);
+
+    return List.of(dependentSecretEventSource);
+  }
+
+  public InformerEventSource<Secret, Secret> getDependentSecretEventSource() {
+    return dependentSecretEventSource;
+  }
+}