diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/AnnotationControllerConfiguration.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/AnnotationControllerConfiguration.java
index 354e2b49e4..c86c3f95b6 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/AnnotationControllerConfiguration.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/AnnotationControllerConfiguration.java
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.source.controller.ResourceEventFilter;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.source.controller.ResourceEventFilters;
 
-import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
 
 @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
 public class AnnotationControllerConfiguration<R extends HasMetadata>
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public boolean isGenerationAware() {
   @Override
   public Set<String> getNamespaces() {
     return Set.of(valueOrDefault(annotation, ControllerConfiguration::namespaces,
-        DEFAULT_NAMESPACES.toArray(String[]::new)));
+        DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET.toArray(String[]::new)));
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ControllerConfigurationOverrider.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ControllerConfigurationOverrider.java
index 70a901d68e..36e0dab3a1 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ControllerConfigurationOverrider.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ControllerConfigurationOverrider.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.kubernetes.KubernetesDependentResourceConfig;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.source.controller.ResourceEventFilter;
 
-import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
 import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.WATCH_CURRENT_NAMESPACE_SET;
 
 @SuppressWarnings({"rawtypes", "unused"})
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public ControllerConfigurationOverrider<R> addingNamespaces(String... namespaces
   public ControllerConfigurationOverrider<R> removingNamespaces(String... namespaces) {
     List.of(namespaces).forEach(this.namespaces::remove);
     if (this.namespaces.isEmpty()) {
-      this.namespaces = DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+      this.namespaces = DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
     }
     return this;
   }
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ public ControllerConfigurationOverrider<R> settingNamespace(String namespace) {
   }
 
   public ControllerConfigurationOverrider<R> watchingAllNamespaces() {
-    this.namespaces = DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+    this.namespaces = DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
     return this;
   }
 
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/DefaultResourceConfiguration.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/DefaultResourceConfiguration.java
index 6a3737ae48..407c352be0 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/DefaultResourceConfiguration.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/DefaultResourceConfiguration.java
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.HasMetadata;
 
-import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
 
 public class DefaultResourceConfiguration<R extends HasMetadata>
     implements ResourceConfiguration<R> {
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ public class DefaultResourceConfiguration<R extends HasMetadata>
   public DefaultResourceConfiguration(String labelSelector, Class<R> resourceClass,
       String... namespaces) {
     this(labelSelector, resourceClass,
-        namespaces == null || namespaces.length == 0 ? DEFAULT_NAMESPACES
+        namespaces == null || namespaces.length == 0 ? DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET
             : Set.of(namespaces));
   }
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public DefaultResourceConfiguration(String labelSelector, Class<R> resourceClass
     this.labelSelector = labelSelector;
     this.resourceClass = resourceClass;
     this.namespaces =
-        namespaces == null || namespaces.isEmpty() ? DEFAULT_NAMESPACES
+        namespaces == null || namespaces.isEmpty() ? DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET
             : namespaces;
   }
 
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/NamespaceChangeable.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/NamespaceChangeable.java
index 5630604cd9..4e3cb19ed9 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/NamespaceChangeable.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/NamespaceChangeable.java
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import java.util.Set;
 
-import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
 
 public interface NamespaceChangeable {
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public interface NamespaceChangeable {
 
   default void changeNamespaces(String... namespaces) {
     changeNamespaces(
-        namespaces != null ? Set.of(namespaces) : DEFAULT_NAMESPACES);
+        namespaces != null ? Set.of(namespaces) : DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET);
   }
 
   default boolean allowsNamespaceChanges() {
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ResourceConfiguration.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ResourceConfiguration.java
index 8026946bb6..ca59e738d8 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ResourceConfiguration.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/ResourceConfiguration.java
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.ReconcilerUtils;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants;
 
-import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
 import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.WATCH_CURRENT_NAMESPACE_SET;
 
 public interface ResourceConfiguration<R extends HasMetadata> {
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ default Class<R> getResourceClass() {
   }
 
   default Set<String> getNamespaces() {
-    return DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+    return DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
   }
 
   default boolean watchAllNamespaces() {
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ default boolean watchAllNamespaces() {
 
   static boolean allNamespacesWatched(Set<String> namespaces) {
     failIfNotValid(namespaces);
-    return DEFAULT_NAMESPACES.equals(namespaces);
+    return DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET.equals(namespaces);
   }
 
   default boolean watchCurrentNamespace() {
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerConfiguration.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerConfiguration.java
index b6c7fcfb89..2fc74aa010 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerConfiguration.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/informer/InformerConfiguration.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.source.SecondaryToPrimaryMapper;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.source.informer.Mappers;
 
-import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
 
 public interface InformerConfiguration<R extends HasMetadata>
     extends ResourceConfiguration<R> {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public InformerConfigurationBuilder<R> withSecondaryToPrimaryMapper(
 
     public InformerConfigurationBuilder<R> withNamespaces(String... namespaces) {
       return withNamespaces(
-          namespaces != null ? Set.of(namespaces) : DEFAULT_NAMESPACES);
+          namespaces != null ? Set.of(namespaces) : DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET);
     }
 
     public InformerConfigurationBuilder<R> withNamespaces(Set<String> namespaces) {
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ public InformerConfigurationBuilder<R> withNamespaces(Set<String> namespaces) {
      */
     public InformerConfigurationBuilder<R> withNamespaces(Set<String> namespaces,
         boolean followChanges) {
-      this.namespaces = namespaces != null ? namespaces : DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+      this.namespaces = namespaces != null ? namespaces : DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
       this.inheritControllerNamespacesOnChange = true;
       return this;
     }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/Constants.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/Constants.java
index da9c117992..68b88b4455 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/Constants.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/Constants.java
@@ -5,15 +5,19 @@
 
 public final class Constants {
 
-  public static final Set<String> DEFAULT_NAMESPACES =
+  public static final Set<String> DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET =
       Collections.singleton(Constants.WATCH_ALL_NAMESPACES);
   public static final Set<String> WATCH_CURRENT_NAMESPACE_SET =
       Collections.singleton(Constants.WATCH_CURRENT_NAMESPACE);
 
+  public static final Set<String> SAME_AS_CONTROLLER_NAMESPACES_SET =
+      Collections.singleton(Constants.SAME_AS_CONTROLLER);
+
   public static final String NO_VALUE_SET = "";
   public static final String WATCH_CURRENT_NAMESPACE = "JOSDK_WATCH_CURRENT";
   public static final String WATCH_ALL_NAMESPACES = "JOSDK_ALL_NAMESPACES";
   public static final long NO_RECONCILIATION_MAX_INTERVAL = -1L;
+  public static final String SAME_AS_CONTROLLER = "JOSDK_SAME_AS_CONTROLLER";
 
   private Constants() {}
 }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependent.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependent.java
index bda5dcb1dd..fc33975532 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependent.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependent.java
@@ -5,14 +5,15 @@
 import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
 import java.lang.annotation.Target;
 
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants;
+
 import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.NO_VALUE_SET;
 
 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 @Target({ElementType.TYPE})
 public @interface KubernetesDependent {
-  String SAME_AS_CONTROLLER = "JOSDK_SAME_AS_CONTROLLER";
 
-  String[] DEFAULT_NAMESPACES = {SAME_AS_CONTROLLER};
+  String[] DEFAULT_NAMESPACES = {Constants.SAME_AS_CONTROLLER};
 
   /**
    * Specified which namespaces this Controller monitors for custom resources events. If no
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@
    *
    * @return the list of namespaces this controller monitors
    */
-  String[] namespaces() default {SAME_AS_CONTROLLER};
+  String[] namespaces() default {Constants.SAME_AS_CONTROLLER};
 
   /**
    * Optional label selector used to identify the set of custom resources the controller will acc
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResourceConfig.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResourceConfig.java
index 5f325bbfcc..8cc8e12164 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResourceConfig.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResourceConfig.java
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.kubernetes;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Set;
 
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants;
+
 import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.NO_VALUE_SET;
 
 public class KubernetesDependentResourceConfig {
 
-  private Set<String> namespaces = Collections.emptySet();
+  private Set<String> namespaces = Constants.SAME_AS_CONTROLLER_NAMESPACES_SET;
   private String labelSelector = NO_VALUE_SET;
 
   private boolean namespacesWereConfigured = false;
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/MockControllerConfiguration.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/MockControllerConfiguration.java
index caa02a7511..0e3fc5df22 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/MockControllerConfiguration.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/config/MockControllerConfiguration.java
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.HasMetadata;
 
-import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ public static <R extends HasMetadata> ControllerConfiguration<R> forResource(
       Class<R> resourceType) {
     final ControllerConfiguration configuration = mock(ControllerConfiguration.class);
     when(configuration.getResourceClass()).thenReturn(resourceType);
-    when(configuration.getNamespaces()).thenReturn(DEFAULT_NAMESPACES);
+    when(configuration.getNamespaces()).thenReturn(DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET);
     when(configuration.getEffectiveNamespaces()).thenCallRealMethod();
     return configuration;
   }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerEventSourceTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerEventSourceTest.java
index b7e379ccf6..173379f802 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerEventSourceTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/event/source/informer/InformerEventSourceTest.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.source.SecondaryToPrimaryMapper;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.sample.simple.TestCustomResource;
 
-import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES;
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Constants.DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET;
 import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.any;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.*;
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ void setup() {
     when(informer.getIndexer()).thenReturn(mock(Indexer.class));
 
     when(informerConfiguration.getEffectiveNamespaces())
-        .thenReturn(DEFAULT_NAMESPACES);
+        .thenReturn(DEFAULT_NAMESPACES_SET);
     when(informerConfiguration.getSecondaryToPrimaryMapper())
         .thenReturn(mock(SecondaryToPrimaryMapper.class));