diff --git a/cli/cmd/lib_cli_config.go b/cli/cmd/lib_cli_config.go
index 1e6b0b0047..ead82f1758 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/lib_cli_config.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/lib_cli_config.go
@@ -499,18 +499,17 @@ func validateOperatorEndpoint(endpoint string) (string, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "verifying operator endpoint", url)
 	}
-	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 
 	client := http.Client{
 		Transport: &http.Transport{
 			TLSClientConfig: &tls.Config{InsecureSkipVerify: true},
 		},
 	}
+
 	response, err := client.Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", ErrorInvalidOperatorEndpoint(url)
 	}
-
 	if response.StatusCode != 200 {
 		return "", ErrorInvalidOperatorEndpoint(url)
 	}
diff --git a/manager/install.sh b/manager/install.sh
index b6059841e2..3d9eb5522c 100755
--- a/manager/install.sh
+++ b/manager/install.sh
@@ -442,8 +442,8 @@ function validate_cortex() {
         echo "operator endpoint reachable: $operator_endpoint_reachable"
       fi
       if [ "$operator_endpoint" != "" ]; then
-        echo "operator curl response (404 is expected):"
-        curl --max-time 3 $operator_endpoint
+        echo "operator curl response:"
+        curl --max-time 3 "${operator_endpoint}/verifycortex"
       fi
       echo
       exit 1
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ function validate_cortex() {
 
     if [ "$CORTEX_OPERATOR_LOAD_BALANCER_SCHEME" == "internet-facing" ]; then
       if [ "$operator_endpoint_reachable" != "true" ]; then
-        if ! curl --max-time 3 $operator_endpoint >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        if ! curl --max-time 3 "${operator_endpoint}/verifycortex" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
           continue
         fi
         operator_endpoint_reachable="true"
diff --git a/pkg/operator/endpoints/respond.go b/pkg/operator/endpoints/respond.go
index 29033f4990..aa1d9e5f21 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/endpoints/respond.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/endpoints/respond.go
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ func respond(w http.ResponseWriter, response interface{}) {
 	json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response)
 }
 
+func respondPlainText(w http.ResponseWriter, response string) {
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/plain")
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	w.Write([]byte(response))
+}
+
 func respondError(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, err error, strs ...string) {
 	respondErrorCode(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, err, strs...)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/operator/endpoints/verify_cortex.go b/pkg/operator/endpoints/verify_cortex.go
index e3b86409f8..6972a13997 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/endpoints/verify_cortex.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/endpoints/verify_cortex.go
@@ -21,5 +21,5 @@ import (
 )
 
 func VerifyCortex(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	respond(w, "ok")
+	respondPlainText(w, "ok")
 }