diff --git a/cmd/handler/main.go b/cmd/handler/main.go
index 88da51a764..75fc05de5d 100644
--- a/cmd/handler/main.go
+++ b/cmd/handler/main.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
-	"go.uber.org/zap/zapcore"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/fields"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
@@ -91,7 +90,7 @@ func main() {
 		flag.CommandLine.Set("zap-devel", "true")
 	}
 
-	setupLogger(opt)
+	ctrl.SetLogger(zap.New(zap.UseFlagOptions(&opt)))
 
 	// Lock only for handler, we can run old and new version of
 	// webhook without problems, policy status will be updated
@@ -249,15 +248,6 @@ func main() {
 	}
 }
 
-func setupLogger(opts zap.Options) {
-	opts.EncoderConfigOptions = append(opts.EncoderConfigOptions, func(ec *zapcore.EncoderConfig) {
-		ec.EncodeTime = zapcore.ISO8601TimeEncoder
-	})
-
-	logger := zap.New(zap.UseFlagOptions(&opts))
-	ctrl.SetLogger(logger)
-}
-
 // Start profiler on given port if ENABLE_PROFILER is True
 func setProfiler() {
 	cfg := ProfilerConfig{}
diff --git a/cmd/operator/main.go b/cmd/operator/main.go
index 5dc872d6f2..95c4ddb815 100644
--- a/cmd/operator/main.go
+++ b/cmd/operator/main.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import (
 	_ "net/http/pprof"
 	"os"
 
-	"go.uber.org/zap/zapcore"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	utilruntime "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime"
 	clientgoscheme "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ func main() {
 		flag.CommandLine.Set("zap-devel", "true")
 	}
 
-	setupLogger(opt)
+	ctrl.SetLogger(zap.New(zap.UseFlagOptions(&opt)))
 
 	ctrlOptions := ctrl.Options{
 		Scheme:             scheme,
@@ -107,15 +106,6 @@ func main() {
 	}
 }
 
-func setupLogger(opts zap.Options) {
-	opts.EncoderConfigOptions = append(opts.EncoderConfigOptions, func(ec *zapcore.EncoderConfig) {
-		ec.EncodeTime = zapcore.ISO8601TimeEncoder
-	})
-
-	logger := zap.New(zap.UseFlagOptions(&opts))
-	ctrl.SetLogger(logger)
-}
-
 // Start profiler on given port if ENABLE_PROFILER is True
 func setProfiler() {
 	cfg := ProfilerConfig{}
diff --git a/deploy/handler/operator.yaml b/deploy/handler/operator.yaml
index 615b690754..3c3b52fba5 100644
--- a/deploy/handler/operator.yaml
+++ b/deploy/handler/operator.yaml
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ spec:
       priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - name: nmstate-webhook
+          args:
+          - --zap-time-encoding=iso8601
           # Replace this with the built image name
           image: {{ .HandlerImage }}
           imagePullPolicy: {{ .HandlerPullPolicy }}
@@ -113,6 +115,8 @@ spec:
       priorityClassName: system-cluster-critical
       containers:
         - name: nmstate-cert-manager
+          args:
+          - --zap-time-encoding=iso8601
           # Replace this with the built image name
           image: {{ .HandlerImage }}
           imagePullPolicy: {{ .HandlerPullPolicy }}
@@ -205,6 +209,8 @@ spec:
       priorityClassName: system-node-critical
       containers:
         - name: nmstate-handler
+          args:
+          - --zap-time-encoding=iso8601
           # Replace this with the built image name
           image: {{ .HandlerImage }}
           imagePullPolicy: {{ .HandlerPullPolicy }}
diff --git a/deploy/operator/operator.yaml b/deploy/operator/operator.yaml
index 2bfe96fa1c..8d9b50c250 100644
--- a/deploy/operator/operator.yaml
+++ b/deploy/operator/operator.yaml
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ spec:
           effect: NoSchedule
       containers:
         - name: nmstate-operator
+          args:
+          - --zap-time-encoding=iso8601
           # Replace this with the built image name
           image: {{ .OperatorImage }}
           imagePullPolicy: {{ .OperatorPullPolicy }}