diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d7d254a9c..9cca89cf2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 
 ## [master](https://github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/tree/master) (N/A)
 - Update UBI Image to 8.4
-- Fix ArangoSync Liveness Prove
+- Fix ArangoSync Liveness Probe
 - Allow runtime update of Sidecar images
 - Allow Agent recreation with preserved IDs
+- The internal metrics exporter can not be disabled
 
 ## [1.2.2](https://github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/tree/1.2.2) (2021-09-09)
 - Update 'github.com/arangodb/arangosync-client' dependency to v0.7.0
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9c41cafc9..4007c7826 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ Feature-wise production readiness table:
 | Operator Maintenance Management Support | 1.2.0            | >= 3.6.0         | Community, Enterprise | Production   | True    | --deployment.feature.maintenance           | N/A                                                                      |
 | Operator Internal Metrics Exporter      | 1.1.9            | >= 3.6.0         | Community, Enterprise | Alpha        | False   | --deployment.feature.metrics-exporter      | N/A                                                                      |
 | Operator Internal Metrics Exporter      | 1.2.0            | >= 3.6.0         | Community, Enterprise | Production   | True    | --deployment.feature.metrics-exporter      | N/A                                                                      |
+| Operator Internal Metrics Exporter      | 1.2.3            | >= 3.6.0         | Community, Enterprise | Production   | True    | --deployment.feature.metrics-exporter      | It is always enabled                                                     |
 | Operator Ephemeral Volumes              | 1.2.2            | >= 3.7.0         | Community, Enterprise | Alpha        | False   | --deployment.feature.ephemeral-volumes     | N/A                                                                      |
 
 ## Release notes for 0.3.16
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/deployment_core_test.go b/pkg/deployment/deployment_core_test.go
index 026a2994c..61aff3877 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/deployment_core_test.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/deployment_core_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //
 // DISCLAIMER
 //
-// Copyright 2020 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+// Copyright 2020-2021 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -23,18 +23,18 @@
 package deployment
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/constants"
-
-	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/k8sutil"
-
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-
-	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util"
+	core "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 
 	api "github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/apis/deployment/v1"
-	core "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util"
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/constants"
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/k8sutil"
 )
 
 func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
@@ -913,12 +913,14 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 
 				testCase.createTestPodData(deployment, api.ServerGroupAgents, firstAgentStatus)
+				testCase.ExpectedPod.ObjectMeta.Labels[k8sutil.LabelKeyArangoExporter] = testYes
 			},
 			ExpectedEvent: "member agent is created",
 			ExpectedPod: core.Pod{
 				Spec: core.PodSpec{
 					Volumes: []core.Volume{
 						k8sutil.CreateVolumeEmptyDir(k8sutil.ArangodVolumeName),
+						k8sutil.CreateVolumeWithSecret(k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeName, testExporterToken),
 					},
 					Containers: []core.Container{
 						{
@@ -934,6 +936,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultAgentTerminationTimeout,
@@ -945,7 +948,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			Name: "DBserver Pod with metrics exporter",
+			Name: "DBserver Pod with internal metrics exporter",
 			ArangoDeployment: &api.ArangoDeployment{
 				Spec: api.DeploymentSpec{
 					Image:          util.NewString(testImage),
@@ -988,7 +991,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
-						testCreateExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultDBServerTerminationTimeout,
@@ -1008,7 +1011,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 					TLS:            noTLS,
 					Metrics: api.MetricsSpec{
 						Enabled: util.NewBool(true),
-						Image:   util.NewString(testExporterImage),
+						Image:   util.NewString(testImage),
 						Authentication: api.MetricsAuthenticationSpec{
 							JWTTokenSecretName: util.NewString(testExporterToken),
 						},
@@ -1050,7 +1053,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
-						testCreateExporterContainer(false, k8sutil.ExtractPodResourceRequirement(resourcesUnfiltered)),
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, k8sutil.ExtractPodResourceRequirement(resourcesUnfiltered)),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultDBServerTerminationTimeout,
@@ -1123,7 +1126,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
-						testCreateExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultDBServerTerminationTimeout,
@@ -1195,7 +1198,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
-						testCreateExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultDBServerTerminationTimeout,
@@ -1289,7 +1292,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 							Resources: emptyResources,
 						},
 						func() core.Container {
-							c := testCreateExporterContainer(true, emptyResources)
+							c := testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(true, emptyResources)
 							c.VolumeMounts = append(c.VolumeMounts, k8sutil.TlsKeyfileVolumeMount())
 							return c
 						}(),
@@ -1435,3 +1438,65 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Core(t *testing.T) {
 
 	runTestCases(t, testCases...)
 }
+
+func testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(secure bool, resources core.ResourceRequirements, ports ...int32) core.Container {
+
+	var port int32 = k8sutil.ArangoExporterPort
+	if len(ports) > 0 {
+		port = ports[0]
+	}
+
+	return core.Container{
+		Name:    k8sutil.ExporterContainerName,
+		Image:   testImage,
+		Command: createTestInternalExporterCommand(secure, port),
+		Ports: []core.ContainerPort{
+			{
+				Name:          string(api.MetricsModeExporter),
+				ContainerPort: port,
+				Protocol:      core.ProtocolTCP,
+			},
+		},
+		LivenessProbe:   createTestExporterLivenessProbe(secure),
+		Resources:       resources,
+		ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
+		SecurityContext: &core.SecurityContext{
+			Capabilities: &core.Capabilities{
+				Drop: []core.Capability{
+					"ALL",
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		VolumeMounts: []core.VolumeMount{
+			k8sutil.LifecycleVolumeMount(),
+			k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeMount(),
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func createTestInternalExporterCommand(secure bool, port int32) []string {
+	binaryPath, err := os.Executable()
+	if err != nil {
+		return []string{}
+	}
+	exePath := filepath.Join(k8sutil.LifecycleVolumeMountDir, filepath.Base(binaryPath))
+
+	args := []string{exePath, "exporter"}
+	if secure {
+		args = append(args, "--arangodb.endpoint=https://localhost:8529/_admin/metrics")
+	} else {
+		args = append(args, "--arangodb.endpoint=http://localhost:8529/_admin/metrics")
+	}
+
+	args = append(args, "--arangodb.jwt-file=/secrets/exporter/jwt/token")
+
+	if port != k8sutil.ArangoExporterPort {
+		args = append(args, fmt.Sprintf("--server.address=:%d", port))
+	}
+
+	if secure {
+		args = append(args, "--ssl.keyfile=/secrets/tls/tls.keyfile")
+	}
+
+	return args
+}
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/deployment_definitions_test.go b/pkg/deployment/deployment_definitions_test.go
index fa4a82d2f..7f130c39a 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/deployment_definitions_test.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/deployment_definitions_test.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ var (
 
 	metricsSpec = api.MetricsSpec{
 		Enabled: util.NewBool(true),
-		Image:   util.NewString(testExporterImage),
+		Image:   util.NewString(testImage),
 		Authentication: api.MetricsAuthenticationSpec{
 			JWTTokenSecretName: util.NewString(testExporterToken),
 		},
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/deployment_encryption_test.go b/pkg/deployment/deployment_encryption_test.go
index 62ee45ad0..33f5aeff2 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/deployment_encryption_test.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/deployment_encryption_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //
 // DISCLAIMER
 //
-// Copyright 2020 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+// Copyright 2020-2021 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 // Copyright holder is ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Author Adam Janikowski
+// Author Tomasz Mielech
 //
 
 package deployment
@@ -26,16 +27,13 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/constants"
-
-	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/k8sutil"
-
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-
-	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util"
+	core "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 
 	api "github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/apis/deployment/v1"
-	core "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util"
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/constants"
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/k8sutil"
 )
 
 func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Encryption(t *testing.T) {
@@ -184,7 +182,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_ArangoDB_Encryption(t *testing.T) {
 							Resources: emptyResources,
 						},
 						func() core.Container {
-							c := testCreateExporterContainer(true, emptyResources)
+							c := testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(true, emptyResources)
 							c.VolumeMounts = append(c.VolumeMounts, k8sutil.TlsKeyfileVolumeMount())
 							return c
 						}(),
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/deployment_metrics_test.go b/pkg/deployment/deployment_metrics_test.go
index d1bbc7ce7..7ec3ad11d 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/deployment_metrics_test.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/deployment_metrics_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //
 // DISCLAIMER
 //
-// Copyright 2020 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+// Copyright 2020-2021 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 // Copyright holder is ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Author Adam Janikowski
+// Author Tomasz Mielech
 //
 
 package deployment
@@ -25,12 +26,11 @@ package deployment
 import (
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/k8sutil"
-
-	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util"
+	core "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 
 	api "github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/apis/deployment/v1"
-	core "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util"
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util/k8sutil"
 )
 
 func TestEnsurePod_Metrics(t *testing.T) {
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_Metrics(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
-						testCreateExporterContainerWithPort(false, emptyResources, 9999),
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, emptyResources, 9999),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultDBServerTerminationTimeout,
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_Metrics(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
-						testCreateExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultDBServerTerminationTimeout,
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_Metrics(t *testing.T) {
 				Spec: core.PodSpec{
 					Volumes: []core.Volume{
 						k8sutil.CreateVolumeEmptyDir(k8sutil.ArangodVolumeName),
+						k8sutil.CreateVolumeWithSecret(k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeName, testExporterToken),
 					},
 					Containers: []core.Container{
 						{
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_Metrics(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultDBServerTerminationTimeout,
@@ -260,6 +262,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_Metrics(t *testing.T) {
 				Spec: core.PodSpec{
 					Volumes: []core.Volume{
 						k8sutil.CreateVolumeEmptyDir(k8sutil.ArangodVolumeName),
+						k8sutil.CreateVolumeWithSecret(k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeName, testExporterToken),
 					},
 					Containers: []core.Container{
 						{
@@ -285,286 +288,7 @@ func TestEnsurePod_Metrics(t *testing.T) {
 							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
 							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
 						},
-					},
-					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
-					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultAgentTerminationTimeout,
-					Hostname:                      testDeploymentName + "-" + api.ServerGroupAgentsString + "-" + firstAgentStatus.ID,
-					Subdomain:                     testDeploymentName + "-int",
-					Affinity: k8sutil.CreateAffinity(testDeploymentName, api.ServerGroupAgentsString,
-						false, ""),
-				},
-			},
-		},
-		{
-			Name: "DBserver Pod with sidecar metrics exporter and port override",
-			ArangoDeployment: &api.ArangoDeployment{
-				Spec: api.DeploymentSpec{
-					Image:          util.NewString(testImage),
-					Authentication: noAuthentication,
-					TLS:            noTLS,
-					Metrics: func() api.MetricsSpec {
-						m := metricsSpec.DeepCopy()
-
-						m.Port = util.NewUInt16(9999)
-
-						m.Mode = api.MetricsModeSidecar.New()
-
-						return *m
-					}(),
-				},
-			},
-			Helper: func(t *testing.T, deployment *Deployment, testCase *testCaseStruct) {
-				deployment.status.last = api.DeploymentStatus{
-					Members: api.DeploymentStatusMembers{
-						DBServers: api.MemberStatusList{
-							firstDBServerStatus,
-						},
-					},
-					Images: createTestImages(false),
-				}
-
-				testCase.createTestPodData(deployment, api.ServerGroupDBServers, firstDBServerStatus)
-				testCase.ExpectedPod.ObjectMeta.Labels[k8sutil.LabelKeyArangoExporter] = testYes
-			},
-			ExpectedEvent: "member dbserver is created",
-			ExpectedPod: core.Pod{
-				Spec: core.PodSpec{
-					Volumes: []core.Volume{
-						k8sutil.CreateVolumeEmptyDir(k8sutil.ArangodVolumeName),
-						k8sutil.CreateVolumeWithSecret(k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeName, testExporterToken),
-					},
-					Containers: []core.Container{
-						{
-							Name:    k8sutil.ServerContainerName,
-							Image:   testImage,
-							Command: createTestCommandForDBServer(firstDBServerStatus.ID, false, false, false),
-							Ports:   createTestPorts(),
-							VolumeMounts: []core.VolumeMount{
-								k8sutil.ArangodVolumeMount(),
-							},
-							Resources:       emptyResources,
-							LivenessProbe:   createTestLivenessProbe(httpProbe, false, "", k8sutil.ArangoPort),
-							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
-							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
-						},
-						func() core.Container {
-							z := testCreateExporterContainerWithPort(false, emptyResources, 9999)
-							z.Command = append(z.Command, "--mode=passthru")
-							return z
-						}(),
-					},
-					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
-					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultDBServerTerminationTimeout,
-					Hostname:                      testDeploymentName + "-" + api.ServerGroupDBServersString + "-" + firstDBServerStatus.ID,
-					Subdomain:                     testDeploymentName + "-int",
-					Affinity: k8sutil.CreateAffinity(testDeploymentName, api.ServerGroupDBServersString,
-						false, ""),
-				},
-			},
-		},
-		{
-			Name: "Agency Pod with sidecar metrics exporter and port override",
-			ArangoDeployment: &api.ArangoDeployment{
-				Spec: api.DeploymentSpec{
-					Image:          util.NewString(testImage),
-					Authentication: noAuthentication,
-					TLS:            noTLS,
-					Metrics: func() api.MetricsSpec {
-						m := metricsSpec.DeepCopy()
-
-						m.Port = util.NewUInt16(9999)
-
-						m.Mode = api.MetricsModeSidecar.New()
-
-						return *m
-					}(),
-				},
-			},
-			Helper: func(t *testing.T, deployment *Deployment, testCase *testCaseStruct) {
-				deployment.status.last = api.DeploymentStatus{
-					Members: api.DeploymentStatusMembers{
-						Agents: api.MemberStatusList{
-							firstAgentStatus,
-						},
-					},
-					Images: createTestImages(false),
-				}
-
-				testCase.createTestPodData(deployment, api.ServerGroupAgents, firstAgentStatus)
-				testCase.ExpectedPod.ObjectMeta.Labels[k8sutil.LabelKeyArangoExporter] = testYes
-			},
-			ExpectedEvent: "member agent is created",
-			ExpectedPod: core.Pod{
-				Spec: core.PodSpec{
-					Volumes: []core.Volume{
-						k8sutil.CreateVolumeEmptyDir(k8sutil.ArangodVolumeName),
-						k8sutil.CreateVolumeWithSecret(k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeName, testExporterToken),
-					},
-					Containers: []core.Container{
-						{
-							Name:    k8sutil.ServerContainerName,
-							Image:   testImage,
-							Command: createTestCommandForAgent(firstAgentStatus.ID, false, false, false),
-							Ports:   createTestPorts(),
-							VolumeMounts: []core.VolumeMount{
-								k8sutil.ArangodVolumeMount(),
-							},
-							Resources:       emptyResources,
-							LivenessProbe:   createTestLivenessProbe(httpProbe, false, "", k8sutil.ArangoPort),
-							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
-							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
-						},
-						func() core.Container {
-							z := testCreateExporterContainerWithPort(false, emptyResources, 9999)
-							z.Command = append(z.Command, "--mode=passthru")
-							return z
-						}(),
-					},
-					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
-					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultAgentTerminationTimeout,
-					Hostname:                      testDeploymentName + "-" + api.ServerGroupAgentsString + "-" + firstAgentStatus.ID,
-					Subdomain:                     testDeploymentName + "-int",
-					Affinity: k8sutil.CreateAffinity(testDeploymentName, api.ServerGroupAgentsString,
-						false, ""),
-				},
-			},
-		},
-		{
-			Name: "Agency Pod with sidecar metrics exporter and port override, with enabled deployment tls",
-			ArangoDeployment: &api.ArangoDeployment{
-				Spec: api.DeploymentSpec{
-					Image:          util.NewString(testImage),
-					Authentication: noAuthentication,
-					TLS:            tlsSpec,
-					Metrics: func() api.MetricsSpec {
-						m := metricsSpec.DeepCopy()
-
-						m.Port = util.NewUInt16(9999)
-
-						m.Mode = api.MetricsModeSidecar.New()
-
-						return *m
-					}(),
-				},
-			},
-			Helper: func(t *testing.T, deployment *Deployment, testCase *testCaseStruct) {
-				deployment.status.last = api.DeploymentStatus{
-					Members: api.DeploymentStatusMembers{
-						Agents: api.MemberStatusList{
-							firstAgentStatus,
-						},
-					},
-					Images: createTestImages(false),
-				}
-
-				testCase.createTestPodData(deployment, api.ServerGroupAgents, firstAgentStatus)
-				testCase.ExpectedPod.ObjectMeta.Labels[k8sutil.LabelKeyArangoExporter] = testYes
-			},
-			ExpectedEvent: "member agent is created",
-			ExpectedPod: core.Pod{
-				Spec: core.PodSpec{
-					Volumes: []core.Volume{
-						k8sutil.CreateVolumeEmptyDir(k8sutil.ArangodVolumeName),
-						createTestTLSVolume(api.ServerGroupAgentsString, firstAgentStatus.ID),
-						k8sutil.CreateVolumeWithSecret(k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeName, testExporterToken),
-					},
-					Containers: []core.Container{
-						{
-							Name:    k8sutil.ServerContainerName,
-							Image:   testImage,
-							Command: createTestCommandForAgent(firstAgentStatus.ID, true, false, false),
-							Ports:   createTestPorts(),
-							VolumeMounts: []core.VolumeMount{
-								k8sutil.ArangodVolumeMount(),
-								k8sutil.TlsKeyfileVolumeMount(),
-							},
-							Resources:       emptyResources,
-							LivenessProbe:   createTestLivenessProbe(httpProbe, true, "", k8sutil.ArangoPort),
-							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
-							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
-						},
-						func() core.Container {
-							z := testCreateExporterContainerWithPortAndSecureEndpoint(true, true, emptyResources, 9999)
-
-							z.VolumeMounts = append(z.VolumeMounts, k8sutil.TlsKeyfileVolumeMount())
-
-							z.Command = append(z.Command, "--mode=passthru")
-							return z
-						}(),
-					},
-					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
-					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultAgentTerminationTimeout,
-					Hostname:                      testDeploymentName + "-" + api.ServerGroupAgentsString + "-" + firstAgentStatus.ID,
-					Subdomain:                     testDeploymentName + "-int",
-					Affinity: k8sutil.CreateAffinity(testDeploymentName, api.ServerGroupAgentsString,
-						false, ""),
-				},
-			},
-		},
-		{
-			Name: "Agency Pod with sidecar metrics exporter and port override, with enabled deployment tls but disabled metrics tls",
-			ArangoDeployment: &api.ArangoDeployment{
-				Spec: api.DeploymentSpec{
-					Image:          util.NewString(testImage),
-					Authentication: noAuthentication,
-					TLS:            tlsSpec,
-					Metrics: func() api.MetricsSpec {
-						m := metricsSpec.DeepCopy()
-
-						m.Port = util.NewUInt16(9999)
-
-						m.Mode = api.MetricsModeSidecar.New()
-
-						m.TLS = util.NewBool(false)
-
-						return *m
-					}(),
-				},
-			},
-			Helper: func(t *testing.T, deployment *Deployment, testCase *testCaseStruct) {
-				deployment.status.last = api.DeploymentStatus{
-					Members: api.DeploymentStatusMembers{
-						Agents: api.MemberStatusList{
-							firstAgentStatus,
-						},
-					},
-					Images: createTestImages(false),
-				}
-
-				testCase.createTestPodData(deployment, api.ServerGroupAgents, firstAgentStatus)
-				testCase.ExpectedPod.ObjectMeta.Labels[k8sutil.LabelKeyArangoExporter] = testYes
-			},
-			ExpectedEvent: "member agent is created",
-			ExpectedPod: core.Pod{
-				Spec: core.PodSpec{
-					Volumes: []core.Volume{
-						k8sutil.CreateVolumeEmptyDir(k8sutil.ArangodVolumeName),
-						createTestTLSVolume(api.ServerGroupAgentsString, firstAgentStatus.ID),
-						k8sutil.CreateVolumeWithSecret(k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeName, testExporterToken),
-					},
-					Containers: []core.Container{
-						{
-							Name:    k8sutil.ServerContainerName,
-							Image:   testImage,
-							Command: createTestCommandForAgent(firstAgentStatus.ID, true, false, false),
-							Ports:   createTestPorts(),
-							VolumeMounts: []core.VolumeMount{
-								k8sutil.ArangodVolumeMount(),
-								k8sutil.TlsKeyfileVolumeMount(),
-							},
-							Resources:       emptyResources,
-							LivenessProbe:   createTestLivenessProbe(httpProbe, true, "", k8sutil.ArangoPort),
-							ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
-							SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
-						},
-						func() core.Container {
-							z := testCreateExporterContainerWithPortAndSecureEndpoint(true, false, emptyResources, 9999)
-
-							z.VolumeMounts = append(z.VolumeMounts, k8sutil.TlsKeyfileVolumeMount())
-
-							z.Command = append(z.Command, "--mode=passthru")
-							return z
-						}(),
+						testArangodbInternalExporterContainer(false, emptyResources),
 					},
 					RestartPolicy:                 core.RestartPolicyNever,
 					TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: &defaultAgentTerminationTimeout,
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/deployment_suite_test.go b/pkg/deployment/deployment_suite_test.go
index 1cfbea446..507a8fca3 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/deployment_suite_test.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/deployment_suite_test.go
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ const (
 	testServiceAccountName        = "testServiceAccountName"
 	testPriorityClassName         = "testPriority"
 	testImageLifecycle            = "arangodb/kube-arangodb:0.3.16"
-	testExporterImage             = "arangodb/arangodb-exporter:0.1.6"
 	testImageOperatorUUIDInit     = "image/test-1234:3.7"
 
 	testYes = "yes"
@@ -516,40 +515,6 @@ func createTestImages(enterprise bool) api.ImageInfoList {
 	return createTestImagesWithVersion(enterprise, testVersion)
 }
 
-func createTestExporterPorts(port uint16) []core.ContainerPort {
-	return []core.ContainerPort{
-		{
-			Name:          "exporter",
-			ContainerPort: int32(port),
-			Protocol:      "TCP",
-		},
-	}
-}
-
-func createTestExporterCommand(secure, exporterSecure bool, port uint16) []string {
-	command := []string{
-		"/app/arangodb-exporter",
-	}
-
-	if secure {
-		command = append(command, "--arangodb.endpoint=https://localhost:8529")
-	} else {
-		command = append(command, "--arangodb.endpoint=http://localhost:8529")
-	}
-
-	command = append(command, "--arangodb.jwt-file=/secrets/exporter/jwt/token")
-
-	if port != k8sutil.ArangoExporterPort {
-		command = append(command, fmt.Sprintf("--server.address=:%d", port))
-	}
-
-	if exporterSecure {
-		command = append(command, "--ssl.keyfile=/secrets/tls/tls.keyfile")
-	}
-
-	return command
-}
-
 func createTestExporterLivenessProbe(secure bool) *core.Probe {
 	return probes.HTTPProbeConfig{
 		LocalPath: "/",
@@ -607,29 +572,3 @@ func (testCase *testCaseStruct) createTestPodData(deployment *Deployment, group
 		deployment.apiObject.Status.Members.Update(member, group)
 	}
 }
-
-func testCreateExporterContainerWithPortAndSecureEndpoint(secure, exporterSecure bool, resources core.ResourceRequirements, port uint16) core.Container {
-	var securityContext api.ServerGroupSpecSecurityContext
-
-	return core.Container{
-		Name:    k8sutil.ExporterContainerName,
-		Image:   testExporterImage,
-		Command: createTestExporterCommand(secure, exporterSecure, port),
-		Ports:   createTestExporterPorts(port),
-		VolumeMounts: []core.VolumeMount{
-			k8sutil.ExporterJWTVolumeMount(),
-		},
-		Resources:       k8sutil.ExtractPodResourceRequirement(resources),
-		LivenessProbe:   createTestExporterLivenessProbe(exporterSecure),
-		ImagePullPolicy: core.PullIfNotPresent,
-		SecurityContext: securityContext.NewSecurityContext(),
-	}
-}
-
-func testCreateExporterContainerWithPort(secure bool, resources core.ResourceRequirements, port uint16) core.Container {
-	return testCreateExporterContainerWithPortAndSecureEndpoint(secure, secure, resources, port)
-}
-
-func testCreateExporterContainer(secure bool, resources core.ResourceRequirements) core.Container {
-	return testCreateExporterContainerWithPortAndSecureEndpoint(secure, secure, resources, k8sutil.ArangoExporterPort)
-}
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/features/features.go b/pkg/deployment/features/features.go
index cb5ae6e91..12f64e68b 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/features/features.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/features/features.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //
 // DISCLAIMER
 //
-// Copyright 2020 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+// Copyright 2020-2021 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 // Copyright holder is ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Author Adam Janikowski
+// Author Tomasz Mielech
 //
 
 package features
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ type Feature interface {
 	EnabledByDefault() bool
 	Enabled() bool
 	EnabledPointer() *bool
+	Deprecated() (bool, string)
 	Supported(v driver.Version, enterprise bool) bool
 }
 
@@ -41,6 +43,8 @@ type feature struct {
 	name, description                             string
 	version                                       driver.Version
 	enterpriseRequired, enabledByDefault, enabled bool
+	deprecated                                    string
+	constValue                                    *bool
 }
 
 func (f feature) Supported(v driver.Version, enterprise bool) bool {
@@ -48,6 +52,10 @@ func (f feature) Supported(v driver.Version, enterprise bool) bool {
 }
 
 func (f feature) Enabled() bool {
+	if f.constValue != nil {
+		return *f.constValue
+	}
+
 	return f.enabled
 }
 
@@ -74,3 +82,8 @@ func (f feature) Name() string {
 func (f feature) Description() string {
 	return f.description
 }
+
+// Deprecated returns true if the feature is deprecated and the reason why it is deprecated.
+func (f feature) Deprecated() (bool, string) {
+	return len(f.deprecated) > 0, f.deprecated
+}
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/features/local.go b/pkg/deployment/features/local.go
index 927341401..284816af9 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/features/local.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/features/local.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //
 // DISCLAIMER
 //
-// Copyright 2020 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+// Copyright 2020-2021 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 // Copyright holder is ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Author Adam Janikowski
+// Author Tomasz Mielech
 //
 
 package features
@@ -80,11 +81,16 @@ func Init(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		f.BoolVar(feature.EnabledPointer(), fmt.Sprintf("deployment.feature.%s", feature.Name()), feature.EnabledByDefault(), z)
+		featureName := fmt.Sprintf("deployment.feature.%s", feature.Name())
+		if ok, reason := feature.Deprecated(); ok {
+			f.MarkDeprecated(featureName, reason)
+		}
+
+		f.BoolVar(feature.EnabledPointer(), featureName, feature.EnabledByDefault(), z)
 	}
 }
 
-func cmdRun(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+func cmdRun(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
 	featuresLock.Lock()
 	defer featuresLock.Unlock()
 
@@ -106,6 +112,10 @@ func cmdRun(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			println("ArangoDB Edition Required: Community, Enterprise")
 		}
 
+		if ok, reason := feature.Deprecated(); ok {
+			println(fmt.Sprintf("Deprecated: %s", reason))
+		}
+
 		println()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/features/metrics.go b/pkg/deployment/features/metrics.go
index 2a69727dd..756638de4 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/features/metrics.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/features/metrics.go
@@ -18,10 +18,15 @@
 // Copyright holder is ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
 //
 // Author Adam Janikowski
+// Author Tomasz Mielech
 //
 
 package features
 
+import (
+	"github.com/arangodb/kube-arangodb/pkg/util"
+)
+
 func init() {
 	registerFeature(metricsExporter)
 }
@@ -32,6 +37,8 @@ var metricsExporter = &feature{
 	version:            "3.6.0",
 	enterpriseRequired: false,
 	enabledByDefault:   true,
+	deprecated:         "It is always set to True",
+	constValue:         util.NewBool(true),
 }
 
 func MetricsExporter() Feature {