diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/Operator.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/Operator.java
index 3f09fe77ed..036db02dba 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/Operator.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/Operator.java
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ public Operator(KubernetesClient kubernetesClient, ConfigurationService configur
   }
 
   /** Adds a shutdown hook that automatically calls {@link #stop()} when the app shuts down. */
+  @Deprecated(forRemoval = true)
   public void installShutdownHook() {
     Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook(new Thread(this::stop));
   }
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/InformerRelatedBehaviorITS.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/InformerRelatedBehaviorITS.java
index f28a6b968f..bddfe2c428 100644
--- a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/InformerRelatedBehaviorITS.java
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/InformerRelatedBehaviorITS.java
@@ -211,7 +211,6 @@ Operator startOperator(boolean stopOnInformerErrorDuringStartup, boolean addStop
           }
         });
     operator.register(reconciler);
-    operator.installShutdownHook();
     operator.start();
     return operator;
   }
diff --git a/sample-operators/leader-election/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/LeaderElectionTestOperator.java b/sample-operators/leader-election/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/LeaderElectionTestOperator.java
index 6bb171cfd5..262c0a7c70 100644
--- a/sample-operators/leader-election/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/LeaderElectionTestOperator.java
+++ b/sample-operators/leader-election/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/LeaderElectionTestOperator.java
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ public static void main(String[] args) {
         new Operator(client, c -> c.withLeaderElectionConfiguration(leaderElectionConfiguration));
 
     operator.register(new LeaderElectionTestReconciler(identity));
-    operator.installShutdownHook();
     operator.start();
   }
 }
diff --git a/sample-operators/mysql-schema/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/MySQLSchemaOperator.java b/sample-operators/mysql-schema/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/MySQLSchemaOperator.java
index b2fb0aab65..4128dd0ea8 100644
--- a/sample-operators/mysql-schema/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/MySQLSchemaOperator.java
+++ b/sample-operators/mysql-schema/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/MySQLSchemaOperator.java
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
         configOverrider -> configOverrider.replacingNamedDependentResourceConfig(
             SchemaDependentResource.NAME,
             new ResourcePollerConfig(300, MySQLDbConfig.loadFromEnvironmentVars())));
-    operator.installShutdownHook();
     operator.start();
 
     new FtBasic(new TkFork(new FkRegex("/health", "ALL GOOD!")), 8080).start(Exit.NEVER);
diff --git a/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/TomcatOperator.java b/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/TomcatOperator.java
index 3973379769..054626eb8b 100644
--- a/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/TomcatOperator.java
+++ b/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/TomcatOperator.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
     Operator operator = new Operator(client);
     operator.register(new TomcatReconciler());
     operator.register(new WebappReconciler(client));
-    operator.installShutdownHook();
     operator.start();
 
     new FtBasic(new TkFork(new FkRegex("/health", "ALL GOOD.")), 8080).start(Exit.NEVER);
diff --git a/sample-operators/webpage/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebPageOperator.java b/sample-operators/webpage/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebPageOperator.java
index 9b137649fc..8f205ddbd2 100644
--- a/sample-operators/webpage/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebPageOperator.java
+++ b/sample-operators/webpage/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebPageOperator.java
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
     } else {
       operator.register(new WebPageStandaloneDependentsReconciler(client));
     }
-    operator.installShutdownHook();
     operator.start();
 
     new FtBasic(new TkFork(new FkRegex("/health", "ALL GOOD!")), 8080).start(Exit.NEVER);