diff --git a/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/suite_test.go b/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/suite_test.go
index a41eeed43..f79be7f0f 100644
--- a/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/suite_test.go
+++ b/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/suite_test.go
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@
 package controllers
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
+	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
+
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
@@ -26,6 +29,8 @@ var (
 	cfg       *rest.Config
 	k8sClient client.Client
 	testEnv   *envtest.Environment
+	ctx       context.Context
+	cancel    context.CancelFunc
 )
 
 func TestAPIs(t *testing.T) {
@@ -38,6 +43,7 @@ func TestAPIs(t *testing.T) {
 
 var _ = BeforeSuite(func() {
 	logf.SetLogger(zap.New(zap.WriteTo(GinkgoWriter), zap.UseDevMode(true)))
+	ctx, cancel = context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 
 	By("bootstrapping test environment")
 	testEnv = &envtest.Environment{
@@ -59,9 +65,21 @@ var _ = BeforeSuite(func() {
 	k8sClient, err = client.New(cfg, client.Options{Scheme: scheme.Scheme})
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	Expect(k8sClient).NotTo(BeNil())
+
+	k8sManager, err := ctrl.NewManager(cfg, ctrl.Options{
+		Scheme: scheme.Scheme,
+	})
+	Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+	go func() {
+		defer GinkgoRecover()
+		err = k8sManager.Start(ctx)
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred(), "failed to run manager")
+	}()
 }, 60)
 
 var _ = AfterSuite(func() {
+	cancel()
 	By("tearing down the test environment")
 	err := testEnv.Stop()
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())