diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/DefaultContext.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/DefaultContext.java
index c6801ff271..07033816df 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/DefaultContext.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/DefaultContext.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public Optional<RetryInfo> getRetryInfo() {
   public <T> Optional<T> getSecondaryResource(Class<T> expectedType, String eventSourceName) {
     return controller.getEventSourceManager()
         .getResourceEventSourceFor(expectedType, eventSourceName)
-        .flatMap(es -> es.getAssociatedResource(primaryResource));
+        .flatMap(es -> es.getSecondaryResource(primaryResource));
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ResourceOwner.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ResourceOwner.java
index e0dfaf5694..f9c02a8a33 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ResourceOwner.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ResourceOwner.java
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ public interface ResourceOwner<R, P extends HasMetadata> {
    * @return an {@link Optional} containing the secondary resource or {@link Optional#empty()} if it
    *         doesn't exist
    */
-  Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(P primary);
+  Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(P primary);
 }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResource.java
index c0c245db46..8611950e04 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResource.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public AbstractDependentResource() {
 
   @Override
   public ReconcileResult<R> reconcile(P primary, Context<P> context) {
-    var maybeActual = getAssociatedResource(primary);
+    var maybeActual = getSecondaryResource(primary);
     if (creatable || updatable) {
       if (maybeActual.isEmpty()) {
         if (creatable) {
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractCachingDependentResource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractCachingDependentResource.java
index 7350c2d741..4366f424eb 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractCachingDependentResource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractCachingDependentResource.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ protected AbstractCachingDependentResource(Class<R> resourceType) {
   }
 
   public Optional<R> fetchResource(P primaryResource) {
-    return eventSource().getAssociatedResource(primaryResource);
+    return eventSource().getSecondaryResource(primaryResource);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public Class<R> resourceType() {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(P primaryResource) {
-    return eventSource().getAssociatedResource(primaryResource);
+  public Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(P primaryResource) {
+    return eventSource().getSecondaryResource(primaryResource);
   }
 }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractSimpleDependentResource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractSimpleDependentResource.java
index 9b1d008077..79c0957c7e 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractSimpleDependentResource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractSimpleDependentResource.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ public AbstractSimpleDependentResource(UpdatableCache<R> cache) {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(HasMetadata primaryResource) {
+  public Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(HasMetadata primaryResource) {
     return cache.get(ResourceID.fromResource(primaryResource));
   }
 
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 0c8153a959..a3ca4c89f9 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
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ public Result<R> match(R actualResource, P primary, Context<P> context) {
 
   public void delete(P primary, Context<P> context) {
     if (!addOwnerReference()) {
-      var resource = getAssociatedResource(primary);
+      var resource = getSecondaryResource(primary);
       resource.ifPresent(r -> client.resource(r).delete());
     }
   }
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ public Class<R> resourceType() {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(P primaryResource) {
-    return eventSource().getAssociatedResource(primaryResource);
+  public Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(P primaryResource) {
+    return eventSource().getSecondaryResource(primaryResource);
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/CachingEventSource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/CachingEventSource.java
index 5b3926e20c..cd60cf5939 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/CachingEventSource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/CachingEventSource.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public Optional<R> getCachedValue(ResourceID resourceID) {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(P primary) {
+  public Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(P primary) {
     return cache.get(ResourceID.fromResource(primary));
   }
 
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/controller/ControllerResourceEventSource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/controller/ControllerResourceEventSource.java
index 67a59e48d3..e069fcc3d4 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/controller/ControllerResourceEventSource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/controller/ControllerResourceEventSource.java
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ private void handleKubernetesClientException(Exception e) {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public Optional<T> getAssociatedResource(T primary) {
+  public Optional<T> getSecondaryResource(T primary) {
     return get(ResourceID.fromResource(primary));
   }
 }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerEventSource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerEventSource.java
index 4650637f3b..5227d5836a 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerEventSource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerEventSource.java
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ private void propagateEvent(R object) {
    * @return the informed resource associated with the specified primary resource
    */
   @Override
-  public Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(P resource) {
+  public Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(P resource) {
     final var id = configuration.getAssociatedResourceIdentifier().associatedSecondaryID(resource);
     return get(id);
   }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/ManagedInformerEventSource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/ManagedInformerEventSource.java
index f5f181ecf0..5f414d0696 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/ManagedInformerEventSource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/ManagedInformerEventSource.java
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ public Optional<R> get(ResourceID resourceID) {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(P primary) {
+  public Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(P primary) {
     return get(ResourceID.fromResource(primary));
   }
 
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/polling/PerResourcePollingEventSource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/polling/PerResourcePollingEventSource.java
index 1827324c3e..8b04dc9e57 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/polling/PerResourcePollingEventSource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/polling/PerResourcePollingEventSource.java
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ public void run() {
    * @return the related resource for this event source
    */
   @Override
-  public Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(P primary) {
+  public Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(P primary) {
     return getValueFromCacheOrSupplier(ResourceID.fromResource(primary));
   }
 
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/polling/PollingEventSource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/polling/PollingEventSource.java
index 6d9a5a3f2f..dcdb2cdda9 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/polling/PollingEventSource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/polling/PollingEventSource.java
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public void stop() throws OperatorException {
    * @return related resource
    */
   @Override
-  public Optional<R> getAssociatedResource(P primary) {
+  public Optional<R> getSecondaryResource(P primary) {
     return getCachedValue(ResourceID.fromResource(primary));
   }
 }
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 de1c7e4cc1..05ab4d1258 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
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public ReconcileResult<Deployment> reconcile(TestCustomResource primary,
     }
 
     @Override
-    public Optional<Deployment> getAssociatedResource(TestCustomResource primaryResource) {
+    public Optional<Deployment> getSecondaryResource(TestCustomResource primaryResource) {
       return Optional.empty();
     }
 
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractSimpleDependentResourceTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractSimpleDependentResourceTest.java
index 2594a935b7..e020fd27a3 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractSimpleDependentResourceTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/external/AbstractSimpleDependentResourceTest.java
@@ -45,14 +45,14 @@ void getsTheResourceFromSupplyIfReconciling() {
     simpleDependentResource.reconcile(TestUtils.testCustomResource1(), null);
 
     verify(supplierMock, times(1)).get();
-    assertThat(simpleDependentResource.getAssociatedResource(TestUtils.testCustomResource1()))
+    assertThat(simpleDependentResource.getSecondaryResource(TestUtils.testCustomResource1()))
         .isPresent()
         .isEqualTo(Optional.of(SampleExternalResource.testResource1()));
   }
 
   @Test
   void getResourceReadsTheResourceFromCache() {
-    simpleDependentResource.getAssociatedResource(TestUtils.testCustomResource1());
+    simpleDependentResource.getSecondaryResource(TestUtils.testCustomResource1());
 
     verify(supplierMock, times(0)).get();
     verify(updatableCacheMock, times(1)).get(any());
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/standalonedependent/StandaloneDependentTestReconciler.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/standalonedependent/StandaloneDependentTestReconciler.java
index ce7eeade23..6f5b24e54c 100644
--- a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/standalonedependent/StandaloneDependentTestReconciler.java
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/standalonedependent/StandaloneDependentTestReconciler.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public UpdateControl<StandaloneDependentTestCustomResource> reconcile(
       StandaloneDependentTestCustomResource primary,
       Context<StandaloneDependentTestCustomResource> context) {
     deploymentDependent.reconcile(primary, context);
-    Optional<Deployment> deployment = deploymentDependent.getAssociatedResource(primary);
+    Optional<Deployment> deployment = deploymentDependent.getSecondaryResource(primary);
     if (deployment.isEmpty()) {
       throw new IllegalStateException("Resource should not be empty after reconcile.");
     }
diff --git a/sample-operators/webpage/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebPageStandaloneDependentsReconciler.java b/sample-operators/webpage/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebPageStandaloneDependentsReconciler.java
index b0625cdb0c..e41bb6d484 100644
--- a/sample-operators/webpage/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebPageStandaloneDependentsReconciler.java
+++ b/sample-operators/webpage/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebPageStandaloneDependentsReconciler.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public UpdateControl<WebPage> reconcile(WebPage webPage, Context<WebPage> contex
 
     webPage.setStatus(
         createStatus(
-            configMapDR.getAssociatedResource(webPage).orElseThrow().getMetadata().getName()));
+            configMapDR.getSecondaryResource(webPage).orElseThrow().getMetadata().getName()));
     return UpdateControl.updateStatus(webPage);
   }