diff --git a/manifests/kustomization.yaml b/manifests/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea1bc53a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifests/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+# If changing the namespace, also update the cluster_role_binding.yaml.
+namespace: default
+resources:
+- crds/core.observatorium.io_observatoria.yaml
+- cluster_role.yaml
+- cluster_role_binding.yaml
+- service_account.yaml
+- operator.yaml
diff --git a/tests/e2e.sh b/tests/e2e.sh
index 219f8b67..a0c1cac6 100755
--- a/tests/e2e.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e.sh
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ deploy_operator() {
     $KUBECTL apply -n observatorium -f jsonnet/vendor/github.com/observatorium/deployments/tests/manifests/observatorium-xyz-tls-configmap.yaml
     $KUBECTL apply -n observatorium -f jsonnet/vendor/github.com/observatorium/deployments/tests/manifests/observatorium-xyz-tls-secret.yaml
     $KUBECTL apply -f manifests/crds
-    $KUBECTL apply -f manifests/
+    $KUBECTL apply -f manifests/cluster_role.yaml
+    $KUBECTL apply -f manifests/cluster_role_binding.yaml
+    $KUBECTL apply -f manifests/service_account.yaml
+    $KUBECTL apply -f manifests/operator.yaml
     $KUBECTL apply -n observatorium -f example/manifests
     wait_for_cr observatorium-xyz
 }