diff --git a/pkg/controller/operators/openshift/suite_test.go b/pkg/controller/operators/openshift/suite_test.go
index 23a54c493a..d0d563ecf5 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/operators/openshift/suite_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/operators/openshift/suite_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package openshift
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -20,6 +21,15 @@ import (
 	metricsserver "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/metrics/server"
 )
 
+// TestMain disables WatchListClient feature for all tests in this package.
+// This is required because envtest doesn't fully support WatchList semantics in K8s 1.35.
+// See: https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/135895
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	// Disable WatchListClient feature gate
+	os.Setenv("KUBE_FEATURE_WatchListClient", "false")
+	os.Exit(m.Run())
+}
+
 func TestControllers(t *testing.T) {
 	RegisterFailHandler(Fail)
 
diff --git a/pkg/controller/operators/suite_test.go b/pkg/controller/operators/suite_test.go
index 876cf06fc2..257a45ae03 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/operators/suite_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/operators/suite_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package operators
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -72,6 +73,15 @@ var (
 	)
 )
 
+// TestMain disables WatchListClient feature for all tests in this package.
+// This is required because envtest doesn't fully support WatchList semantics in K8s 1.35.
+// See: https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/135895
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	// Disable WatchListClient feature gate
+	os.Setenv("KUBE_FEATURE_WatchListClient", "false")
+	os.Exit(m.Run())
+}
+
 func TestAPIs(t *testing.T) {
 	RegisterFailHandler(Fail)