diff --git a/pkg/plugins/golang/v3/commons.go b/pkg/plugins/golang/v3/commons.go
index 5119a3dd73b..cd8c1eb8675 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/golang/v3/commons.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/golang/v3/commons.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ manifests: controller-gen`
 		}
 
 		if err := util.ReplaceInFile("Makefile",
-			"ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.27.1",
+			"ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.26.1",
 			"ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.21"); err != nil {
 			log.Warnf("unable to update the Makefile with %s: %s", "ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.21", err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/golang/v3/scaffolds/internal/templates/makefile.go b/pkg/plugins/golang/v3/scaffolds/internal/templates/makefile.go
index 55b3b68b8ea..2249c3350fb 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/golang/v3/scaffolds/internal/templates/makefile.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/golang/v3/scaffolds/internal/templates/makefile.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ const makefileTemplate = `
 # Image URL to use all building/pushing image targets
 IMG ?= {{ .Image }}
 # ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION refers to the version of kubebuilder assets to be downloaded by envtest binary.
-ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.27.1
+ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.26.1
 
 # Get the currently used golang install path (in GOPATH/bin, unless GOBIN is set)
 ifeq (,$(shell go env GOBIN))
diff --git a/testdata/project-v3/Makefile b/testdata/project-v3/Makefile
index 250cf6a1336..73a01c158dd 100644
--- a/testdata/project-v3/Makefile
+++ b/testdata/project-v3/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Image URL to use all building/pushing image targets
 IMG ?= controller:latest
 # ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION refers to the version of kubebuilder assets to be downloaded by envtest binary.
-ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.27.1
+ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION = 1.26.1
 
 # Get the currently used golang install path (in GOPATH/bin, unless GOBIN is set)
 ifeq (,$(shell go env GOBIN))