diff --git a/apis/controller/v1alpha1/devworkspaceoperatorconfig_types.go b/apis/controller/v1alpha1/devworkspaceoperatorconfig_types.go
index 31bc96e47..9169e4fea 100644
--- a/apis/controller/v1alpha1/devworkspaceoperatorconfig_types.go
+++ b/apis/controller/v1alpha1/devworkspaceoperatorconfig_types.go
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ type WorkspaceConfig struct {
 	// DefaultStorageSize defines an optional struct with fields to specify the sizes of Persistent Volume Claims for storage
 	// classes used by DevWorkspaces.
 	DefaultStorageSize *StorageSizes `json:"defaultStorageSize,omitempty"`
+	// PersistUserHome defines configuration options for persisting the `/home/user/`
+	// directory in workspaces.
+	PersistUserHome *PersistentHomeConfig `json:"persistUserHome,omitempty"`
 	// IdleTimeout determines how long a workspace should sit idle before being
 	// automatically scaled down. Proper functionality of this configuration property
 	// requires support in the workspace being started. If not specified, the default
diff --git a/pkg/config/defaults.go b/pkg/config/defaults.go
index c145dea3b..c76365233 100644
--- a/pkg/config/defaults.go
+++ b/pkg/config/defaults.go
@@ -43,9 +43,12 @@ var defaultConfig = &v1alpha1.OperatorConfiguration{
 			Common:       &commonStorageSize,
 			PerWorkspace: &perWorkspaceStorageSize,
 		},
+		PersistUserHome: &v1alpha1.PersistentHomeConfig{
+			Enabled: pointer.Bool(false),
+		},
 		IdleTimeout:              "15m",
 		ProgressTimeout:          "5m",
-		CleanupOnStop:            pointer.BoolPtr(false),
+		CleanupOnStop:            pointer.Bool(false),
 		PodSecurityContext:       nil,
 		ContainerSecurityContext: &corev1.SecurityContext{},
 		DefaultTemplate:          nil,
diff --git a/pkg/config/sync.go b/pkg/config/sync.go
index 51ff528ec..0805f60ba 100644
--- a/pkg/config/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/config/sync.go
@@ -327,6 +327,14 @@ func mergeConfig(from, to *controller.OperatorConfiguration) {
 				to.Workspace.DefaultStorageSize.PerWorkspace = &perWorkspaceSizeCopy
 			}
 		}
+		if from.Workspace.PersistUserHome != nil {
+			if to.Workspace.PersistUserHome == nil {
+				to.Workspace.PersistUserHome = &controller.PersistentHomeConfig{}
+			}
+			if from.Workspace.PersistUserHome.Enabled != nil {
+				to.Workspace.PersistUserHome.Enabled = from.Workspace.PersistUserHome.Enabled
+			}
+		}
 		if from.Workspace.DefaultTemplate != nil {
 			templateSpecContentCopy := from.Workspace.DefaultTemplate.DeepCopy()
 			to.Workspace.DefaultTemplate = templateSpecContentCopy
@@ -500,6 +508,11 @@ func GetCurrentConfigString(currConfig *controller.OperatorConfiguration) string
 				config = append(config, fmt.Sprintf("workspace.defaultStorageSize.perWorkspace=%s", workspace.DefaultStorageSize.PerWorkspace.String()))
 			}
 		}
+		if workspace.PersistUserHome != nil {
+			if workspace.PersistUserHome.Enabled != nil && *workspace.PersistUserHome.Enabled != *defaultConfig.Workspace.PersistUserHome.Enabled {
+				config = append(config, fmt.Sprintf("workspace.persistUserHomeDierctory.enabled=%t", *workspace.PersistUserHome.Enabled))
+			}
+		}
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(workspace.PodSecurityContext, defaultConfig.Workspace.PodSecurityContext) {
 			config = append(config, "workspace.podSecurityContext is set")
 		}