diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/cvi/cvi_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/cvi/cvi_controller.go
index a22ff908e..2f34ba072 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/cvi/cvi_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/cvi/cvi_controller.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/builder"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/manager"
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ func NewController(
 		internal.NewAttacheeHandler(mgr.GetClient()),
 	)
 
-	cviController, err := controller.New(ControllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: reconciler})
+	cviController, err := controller.New(ControllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: reconciler, RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true)})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vd/vd_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vd/vd_controller.go
index 4fbbafca0..a5d1b7fcb 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vd/vd_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vd/vd_controller.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/builder"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/cache"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ func NewController(
 		internal.NewStatsHandler(stat, importer, uploader),
 	)
 
-	vdController, err := controller.New(ControllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: reconciler})
+	vdController, err := controller.New(ControllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: reconciler, RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true)})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vi/vi_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vi/vi_controller.go
index d35c65c8f..0befcd937 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vi/vi_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vi/vi_controller.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/builder"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/manager"
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ func NewController(
 		internal.NewAttacheeHandler(mgr.GetClient()),
 	)
 
-	viController, err := controller.New(ControllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: reconciler})
+	viController, err := controller.New(ControllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: reconciler, RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true)})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vm/vm_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vm/vm_controller.go
index 92747eeda..60e1b002b 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vm/vm_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vm/vm_controller.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"log/slog"
 
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/builder"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/cache"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ func NewController(
 	}
 	r := NewReconciler(client, logger, handlers...)
 
-	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: r})
+	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: r, RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true)})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmbda/vmbda_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmbda/vmbda_controller.go
index 451609ebc..707142f3e 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmbda/vmbda_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmbda/vmbda_controller.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"log/slog"
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/builder"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/cache"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ func NewController(
 		internal.NewDeletionHandler(),
 	)
 
-	vmbdaController, err := controller.New(ControllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: reconciler})
+	vmbdaController, err := controller.New(ControllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: reconciler, RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true)})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmclass/vmclass_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmclass/vmclass_controller.go
index ba5025e45..3827c9d39 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmclass/vmclass_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmclass/vmclass_controller.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"log/slog"
 
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/manager"
 
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ func NewController(
 	}
 	r := NewReconciler(client, logger, handlers...)
 
-	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: r})
+	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: r, RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true)})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmip/vmip_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmip/vmip_controller.go
index cbd12aa58..623033f19 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmip/vmip_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmip/vmip_controller.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/builder"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/manager"
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ func NewController(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: r})
+	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: r, RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true)})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmiplease/vmiplease_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmiplease/vmiplease_controller.go
index 880a0798d..aadb6c433 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmiplease/vmiplease_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmiplease/vmiplease_controller.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/builder"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/manager"
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ func NewController(
 
 	r := NewReconciler(mgr.GetClient(), log, handlers...)
 
-	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: r})
+	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{Reconciler: r, RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true)})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmop/vmop_controller.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmop/vmop_controller.go
index 27e5bc49c..4f8ebaa62 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmop/vmop_controller.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmop/vmop_controller.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/builder"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/manager"
@@ -53,8 +54,9 @@ func NewController(
 		})
 
 	c, err := controller.New(controllerName, mgr, controller.Options{
-		Reconciler:  reconcilerCore,
-		RateLimiter: workqueue.NewItemExponentialFailureRateLimiter(time.Second, 32*time.Second),
+		Reconciler:   reconcilerCore,
+		RateLimiter:  workqueue.NewItemExponentialFailureRateLimiter(time.Second, 32*time.Second),
+		RecoverPanic: ptr.To(true),
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err