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 49ccc1da07..dc19d00c56 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
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ default Config getClientConfiguration() {
    * @return {@code true} if CRDs should be checked (default), {@code false} otherwise
    */
   default boolean checkCRDAndValidateLocalModel() {
-    return true;
+    return false;
   }
 
   int DEFAULT_RECONCILIATION_THREADS_NUMBER = 5;
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/Utils.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/Utils.java
index 06bbcaa7a8..10a213ab11 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/Utils.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/Utils.java
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public static boolean isValidateCustomResourcesEnvVarSet() {
   }
 
   public static boolean shouldCheckCRDAndValidateLocalModel() {
-    return getBooleanFromSystemPropsOrDefault(CHECK_CRD_ENV_KEY, true);
+    return getBooleanFromSystemPropsOrDefault(CHECK_CRD_ENV_KEY, false);
   }
 
   public static boolean debugThreadPool() {
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/UtilsTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/UtilsTest.java
index a17eb1ba59..1e8468ed1d 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/UtilsTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/UtilsTest.java
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class UtilsTest {
 
   @Test
   void shouldCheckCRDAndValidateLocalModelByDefault() {
-    assertTrue(Utils.shouldCheckCRDAndValidateLocalModel());
+    assertFalse(Utils.shouldCheckCRDAndValidateLocalModel());
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ControllerTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ControllerTest.java
index d61b50d583..4c749dcf71 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ControllerTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ControllerTest.java
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ void crdShouldNotBeCheckedForCustomResourcesIfDisabled() {
   }
 
   @Test
-  void crdShouldBeCheckedForCustomResourcesByDefault() {
+  void crdCanBeCheckedForCustomResources() {
     final var client = mock(KubernetesClient.class);
     final var configurationService = mock(ConfigurationService.class);
-    when(configurationService.checkCRDAndValidateLocalModel()).thenCallRealMethod();
+    when(configurationService.checkCRDAndValidateLocalModel()).thenReturn(true);
     final var reconciler = mock(Reconciler.class);
     final var configuration = mock(ControllerConfiguration.class);
     when(configuration.getResourceClass()).thenReturn(TestCustomResource.class);