diff --git a/pkg/apis/planetscale/v2/defaults.go b/pkg/apis/planetscale/v2/defaults.go
index 1c93ee37..66386b94 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/planetscale/v2/defaults.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/planetscale/v2/defaults.go
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ const (
 	DefaultMysqlPortName = "mysql"
 
 	defaultVitessLiteImage = "vitess/lite:latest"
+
+	DefaultInitCPURequestMillis   = 100
+	DefaultInitMemoryRequestBytes = 32 * (1 << 20) // 32 MiB
 )
 
 // DefaultImages are a set of images to use when the CRD doesn't specify.
diff --git a/pkg/operator/vttablet/mysqlctld.go b/pkg/operator/vttablet/mysqlctld.go
index 34bdc597..442aaf6d 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/vttablet/mysqlctld.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/vttablet/mysqlctld.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package vttablet
 
 import (
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
 	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
 
 	planetscalev2 "planetscale.dev/vitess-operator/pkg/apis/planetscale/v2"
@@ -86,6 +87,12 @@ func init() {
 				},
 				Command: []string{"bash", "-c"},
 				Args:    []string{vtRootInitScript},
+				Resources: corev1.ResourceRequirements{
+					Requests: corev1.ResourceList{
+						corev1.ResourceCPU:    *resource.NewMilliQuantity(planetscalev2.DefaultInitCPURequestMillis, resource.DecimalSI),
+						corev1.ResourceMemory: *resource.NewQuantity(planetscalev2.DefaultInitMemoryRequestBytes, resource.BinarySI),
+					},
+				},
 			},
 		}
 
@@ -108,6 +115,12 @@ func init() {
 				},
 				Command: []string{"bash", "-c"},
 				Args:    []string{mysqlSocketInitScript},
+				Resources: corev1.ResourceRequirements{
+					Requests: corev1.ResourceList{
+						corev1.ResourceCPU:    *resource.NewMilliQuantity(planetscalev2.DefaultInitCPURequestMillis, resource.DecimalSI),
+						corev1.ResourceMemory: *resource.NewQuantity(planetscalev2.DefaultInitMemoryRequestBytes, resource.BinarySI),
+					},
+				},
 			})
 		}
 
diff --git a/pkg/operator/vttablet/pod.go b/pkg/operator/vttablet/pod.go
index c86f3c14..e408baa7 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/vttablet/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/vttablet/pod.go
@@ -241,9 +241,18 @@ func UpdatePod(obj *corev1.Pod, spec *Spec) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Set the resource requirements on each of the default vttablet init
+	// containers to the same values as the vttablet container itself in
+	// case the cluster requires them.
+	defaultTabletInitContainers := tabletInitContainers.Get(spec)
+	for i := range defaultTabletInitContainers {
+		c := &defaultTabletInitContainers[i]
+		update.ResourceRequirements(&c.Resources, &spec.Vttablet.Resources)
+	}
+
 	// Make the final list of desired containers and init containers.
 	initContainers := []corev1.Container{}
-	initContainers = append(initContainers, tabletInitContainers.Get(spec)...)
+	initContainers = append(initContainers, defaultTabletInitContainers...)
 	initContainers = append(initContainers, spec.InitContainers...)
 
 	sidecarContainers := []corev1.Container{}