diff --git a/.github/workflows/operator-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/operator-ci.yml
index 74c01f556f..9fee4a43df 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/operator-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/operator-ci.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Create the Keycloak distribution
         run: |
-          mvn clean install -DskipTests -DskipExamples -DskipTestsuite
+          mvn clean install -Pdistribution -DskipTests -DskipExamples -DskipTestsuite
 
       - name: Setup Minikube-Kubernetes
         uses: manusa/actions-setup-minikube@v2.4.3
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@ jobs:
           kubernetes version: v1.22.3
           github token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           driver: docker
+
+      - name: Build the Keycloak Docker image
+        run: |
+          cd quarkus
+          cp dist/target/keycloak-*.tar.gz container/
+          cd container
+          eval $(minikube -p minikube docker-env)
+          docker build --build-arg KEYCLOAK_DIST=$(ls keycloak-*.tar.gz) . -t keycloak:${GITHUB_SHA}
+
       - name: Build , deploy and test operator in minikube
         run: |
           cd operator
@@ -48,4 +57,5 @@ jobs:
           mvn clean verify \
               -Dquarkus.container-image.build=true -Dquarkus.container-image.tag=test \
               -Dquarkus.kubernetes.deployment-target=kubernetes \
-              --no-transfer-progress -Dtest.operator.deployment=remote
\ No newline at end of file
+              -Dquarkus.jib.jvm-arguments="-Djava.util.logging.manager=org.jboss.logmanager.LogManager","-Doperator.keycloak.image=keycloak:${GITHUB_SHA}","-Doperator.keycloak.image-pull-policy=Never" \
+              --no-transfer-progress -Dtest.operator.deployment=remote
diff --git a/operator/README.md b/operator/README.md
index 8b7316eebf..8e732f9067 100644
--- a/operator/README.md
+++ b/operator/README.md
@@ -17,6 +17,20 @@ Build the Docker image with:
 mvn clean package -Doperator -Dquarkus.container-image.build=true
 ```
 
+## Configuration
+
+The Keycloak image can be configured, when starting the operator, using the Java property:
+
+```
+operator.keycloak.image
+```
+
+And the imagePullPolicy with:
+
+```
+operator.keycloak.image-pull-policy
+```
+
 ## Contributing
 
 ### Quick start on Minikube
diff --git a/operator/src/main/java/org/keycloak/operator/Config.java b/operator/src/main/java/org/keycloak/operator/Config.java
index edbde13324..e54c356078 100644
--- a/operator/src/main/java/org/keycloak/operator/Config.java
+++ b/operator/src/main/java/org/keycloak/operator/Config.java
@@ -28,5 +28,6 @@ public interface Config {
 
     interface Keycloak {
         String image();
+        String imagePullPolicy();
     }
 }
diff --git a/operator/src/main/java/org/keycloak/operator/v2alpha1/KeycloakDeployment.java b/operator/src/main/java/org/keycloak/operator/v2alpha1/KeycloakDeployment.java
index a63c61d121..f83ff4d55f 100644
--- a/operator/src/main/java/org/keycloak/operator/v2alpha1/KeycloakDeployment.java
+++ b/operator/src/main/java/org/keycloak/operator/v2alpha1/KeycloakDeployment.java
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ public class KeycloakDeployment extends OperatorManagedResource {
             serverConfig.putAll(keycloakCR.getSpec().getServerConfiguration());
         }
 
+        container.setImagePullPolicy(config.keycloak().imagePullPolicy());
+
         container.setEnv(serverConfig.entrySet().stream()
                 .map(e -> new EnvVarBuilder().withName(e.getKey()).withValue(e.getValue()).build())
                 .collect(Collectors.toList()));
diff --git a/operator/src/main/resources/application.properties b/operator/src/main/resources/application.properties
index db36f07018..2561345ada 100644
--- a/operator/src/main/resources/application.properties
+++ b/operator/src/main/resources/application.properties
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ quarkus.container-image.builder=jib
 quarkus.operator-sdk.crd.validate=false
 
 # Operator config
-operator.keycloak.image=quay.io/keycloak/keycloak-x:latest
\ No newline at end of file
+operator.keycloak.image=quay.io/keycloak/keycloak-x:latest
+operator.keycloak.image-pull-policy=Always