diff --git a/pkg/controlplane/components/kyverno_component.go b/pkg/controlplane/components/kyverno_component.go
index 52544df..6b3fd5c 100644
--- a/pkg/controlplane/components/kyverno_component.go
+++ b/pkg/controlplane/components/kyverno_component.go
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@ package components
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 
 	helmv2 "github.com/fluxcd/helm-controller/api/v2"
 	sourcev1 "github.com/fluxcd/source-controller/api/v1"
 	rbacv1 "k8s.io/api/rbac/v1"
+	apiextensionsv1 "k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
 
@@ -21,6 +25,8 @@ const (
 	kyvernoRelease       = "kyverno"
 	kyvernoNamespace     = "kyverno-system"
 	ComponentNameKyverno = "Kyverno"
+
+	EnvEnableKyvernoDefaultValues = "ENABLE_KYVERNO_DEFAULT_VALUES"
 )
 
 var _ fluxcd.FluxComponent = &Kyverno{}
@@ -173,6 +179,17 @@ func (k *Kyverno) applyDefaultChartSpec(rfn v1beta1.VersionResolverFn) {
 }
 
 func (k *Kyverno) BuildManifesto(ctx context.Context) (fluxcd.Manifesto, error) {
+	values := k.Config.Values
+
+	// If default values are enabled, use them instead
+	if os.Getenv(EnvEnableKyvernoDefaultValues) == "true" {
+		defaultValues, err := k.getDefaultValues()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get default Kyverno values: %w", err)
+		}
+		values = defaultValues
+	}
+
 	release := &helmv2.HelmRelease{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 			Name:      strings.ToLower(ComponentNameKyverno),
@@ -193,7 +210,7 @@ func (k *Kyverno) BuildManifesto(ctx context.Context) (fluxcd.Manifesto, error)
 			TargetNamespace:  kyvernoNamespace,
 			StorageNamespace: kyvernoNamespace,
 			KubeConfig:       rcontext.FluxKubeconfigRef(ctx),
-			Values:           k.Config.Values,
+			Values:           values,
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -201,3 +218,47 @@ func (k *Kyverno) BuildManifesto(ctx context.Context) (fluxcd.Manifesto, error)
 	adapter.ApplyDefaults()
 	return adapter, nil
 }
+
+func (k *Kyverno) getDefaultValues() (*apiextensionsv1.JSON, error) {
+	defaults := map[string]interface{}{
+		"config": map[string]interface{}{
+			"preserve": false,
+			"resourceFilters": []string{
+				"[*/*,kyverno,*]",
+				"[*/*,istio-system,*]",
+				"[*/*,kyma-system,*]",
+				"[*/*,kube-system,*]",
+				"[*/*,kube-public,*]",
+				"[*/*,neo-core,*]",
+			},
+			"updateRequestThreshold": 5000,
+			"excludeGroups": []string{
+				"system:nodes",
+			},
+			"webhooks": map[string]interface{}{
+				"namespaceSelector": map[string]interface{}{
+					"matchExpressions": []map[string]interface{}{
+						{
+							"key":      "kubernetes.io/metadata.name",
+							"operator": "NotIn",
+							"values": []string{
+								"kube-system",
+								"kyverno",
+								"istio-system",
+								"kube-public",
+								"kyma-system",
+								"neo-core",
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	raw, err := json.Marshal(defaults)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal default values: %w", err)
+	}
+	return &apiextensionsv1.JSON{Raw: raw}, nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/controlplane/components/kyverno_component_test.go b/pkg/controlplane/components/kyverno_component_test.go
index 90c82ca..d54c5d4 100644
--- a/pkg/controlplane/components/kyverno_component_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controlplane/components/kyverno_component_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ func Test_Kyverno(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
 		desc            string
 		config          *v1beta1.KyvernoConfig
+		enableDefaults  bool
 		versionResolver v1beta1.VersionResolverFn
 		validationFuncs []validationFunc
 	}{
@@ -63,10 +64,70 @@ func Test_Kyverno(t *testing.T) {
 				),
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			desc:           "should use default values instad of values from config when enabled via env",
+			enableDefaults: true,
+			config: &v1beta1.KyvernoConfig{
+				Version: "1.2.3",
+				Values:  &apiextensionsv1.JSON{Raw: []byte(`{"crds":{"install":true}}`)},
+			},
+			versionResolver: fakeVersionResolver(false),
+			validationFuncs: []validationFunc{
+				hasName("Kyverno"),
+				isEnabled(true),
+				isAllowed(true),
+				hasPreUninstallHook(),
+				hasDependencies(0),
+				isTargetComponent(
+					hasNamespace("kyverno-system"),
+				),
+				isFluxComponent(
+					returnsHelmRepo(),
+					returnsHelmRelease(
+						hasKubeconfigRef(),
+						hasHelmValue(false, "config", "preserve"),
+						hasHelmValue([]interface{}{
+							"[*/*,kyverno,*]",
+							"[*/*,istio-system,*]",
+							"[*/*,kyma-system,*]",
+							"[*/*,kube-system,*]",
+							"[*/*,kube-public,*]",
+							"[*/*,neo-core,*]",
+						}, "config", "resourceFilters"),
+						hasHelmValue(5000, "config", "updateRequestThreshold"),
+						hasHelmValue([]interface{}{
+							"system:nodes",
+						}, "config", "excludeGroups"),
+						hasHelmValue(map[string]interface{}{
+							"matchExpressions": []interface{}{
+								map[string]interface{}{
+									"key":      "kubernetes.io/metadata.name",
+									"operator": "NotIn",
+									"values": []interface{}{
+										"kube-system",
+										"kyverno",
+										"istio-system",
+										"kube-public",
+										"kyma-system",
+										"neo-core",
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						}, "config", "webhooks", "namespaceSelector"),
+					),
+				),
+				isPolicyRulesComponent(
+					hasPolicyRules(),
+				),
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tC := range testCases {
 		t.Run(tC.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
 			ctx := newContext(nil, tC.versionResolver)
+			if tC.enableDefaults {
+				t.Setenv(EnvEnableKyvernoDefaultValues, "true")
+			}
 			c := &Kyverno{Config: tC.config}
 			for _, vfn := range tC.validationFuncs {
 				vfn(t, ctx, c)