diff --git a/devspaces-operator-bundle/container.yaml b/devspaces-operator-bundle/container.yaml
index 8ad972a301..b7020c8bf2 100644
--- a/devspaces-operator-bundle/container.yaml
+++ b/devspaces-operator-bundle/container.yaml
@@ -53,4 +53,4 @@ operator_manifests:
         devworkspace-operator-bundle-container: devworkspace/devworkspace-operator-bundle
         devworkspace-operator-bundle-package: devworkspace/devworkspace-operator-bundle
         devworkspace-operator-package: devworkspace/devworkspace-operator-bundle
-        devworkspace-operator-container: devworkspace/devworkspace-rhel8-operator
+        devworkspace-operator-container: devworkspace/devworkspace-rhel9-operator
diff --git a/devspaces-operator/build/scripts/sync-che-operator.sh b/devspaces-operator/build/scripts/sync-che-operator.sh
index 1f6e4931fb..a887b633f2 100755
--- a/devspaces-operator/build/scripts/sync-che-operator.sh
+++ b/devspaces-operator/build/scripts/sync-che-operator.sh
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ declare -A operator_replacements=(
 	["RELATED_IMAGE_plugin_registry"]="${DS_PLUGINREGISTRY_IMAGE}"
 
 	# hardcoded to latest DWO release, so that we replace the upstream value... but this isn't actually used downstream
-	["RELATED_IMAGE_devworkspace_controller"]="registry.redhat.io/devworkspace/devworkspace-rhel8-operator" 
+	["RELATED_IMAGE_devworkspace_controller"]="registry.redhat.io/devworkspace/devworkspace-rhel9-operator" 
 
 	["RELATED_IMAGE_single_host_gateway"]="${DS_TRAEFIK_IMAGE}"
 	["RELATED_IMAGE_single_host_gateway_config_sidecar"]="${DS_CONFIGBUMP_IMAGE}"
diff --git a/devspaces-operator/config/manager/manager.yaml b/devspaces-operator/config/manager/manager.yaml
index c984773f5d..4002cc54d4 100644
--- a/devspaces-operator/config/manager/manager.yaml
+++ b/devspaces-operator/config/manager/manager.yaml
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ spec:
             - name: RELATED_IMAGE_dashboard
               value: registry.redhat.io/devspaces/dashboard-rhel9:3.19
             - name: RELATED_IMAGE_devworkspace_controller
-              value: registry.redhat.io/devworkspace/devworkspace-rhel8-operator
+              value: registry.redhat.io/devworkspace/devworkspace-rhel9-operator
             - name: RELATED_IMAGE_gateway_authentication_sidecar
               value: registry.redhat.io/openshift4/ose-oauth-proxy:v4.14
             - name: RELATED_IMAGE_gateway_authorization_sidecar