diff --git a/pkg/controller/operators/catalog/operator.go b/pkg/controller/operators/catalog/operator.go
index 7f12205ea6..c5cb6ae480 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/operators/catalog/operator.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/operators/catalog/operator.go
@@ -1156,16 +1156,11 @@ func (o *Operator) ExecutePlan(plan *v1alpha1.InstallPlan) error {
 					return errorwrap.Wrapf(err, "error parsing step manifest: %s", step.Resource.Name)
 				}
 
-				// Update UIDs on all CSV OwnerReferences
-				updated, err := o.getUpdatedOwnerReferences(cr.OwnerReferences, plan.Namespace)
-				if err != nil {
-					return errorwrap.Wrapf(err, "error generating ownerrefs for clusterrole %s", cr.GetName())
-				}
-				cr.OwnerReferences = updated
-
 				// Attempt to create the ClusterRole.
 				_, err = o.OpClient.KubernetesInterface().RbacV1().ClusterRoles().Create(&cr)
 				if k8serrors.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
+					// if we're updating, point owner to the newest csv
+					cr.Labels[ownerutil.OwnerKey] = step.Resolving
 					_, err = o.OpClient.UpdateClusterRole(&cr)
 					if err != nil {
 						return errorwrap.Wrapf(err, "error updating clusterrole %s", cr.GetName())
@@ -1186,17 +1181,10 @@ func (o *Operator) ExecutePlan(plan *v1alpha1.InstallPlan) error {
 					return errorwrap.Wrapf(err, "error parsing step manifest: %s", step.Resource.Name)
 				}
 
-				// Update UIDs on all CSV OwnerReferences
-				updated, err := o.getUpdatedOwnerReferences(rb.OwnerReferences, plan.Namespace)
-				if err != nil {
-					return errorwrap.Wrapf(err, "error generating ownerrefs for clusterrolebinding %s", rb.GetName())
-				}
-				rb.OwnerReferences = updated
-
 				// Attempt to create the ClusterRoleBinding.
 				_, err = o.OpClient.KubernetesInterface().RbacV1().ClusterRoleBindings().Create(&rb)
 				if k8serrors.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
-					rb.SetNamespace(plan.Namespace)
+					rb.Labels[ownerutil.OwnerKey] = step.Resolving
 					_, err = o.OpClient.UpdateClusterRoleBinding(&rb)
 					if err != nil {
 						return errorwrap.Wrapf(err, "error updating clusterrolebinding %s", rb.GetName())
diff --git a/pkg/controller/registry/resolver/rbac.go b/pkg/controller/registry/resolver/rbac.go
index 8d0608ddd9..15544df8ec 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/registry/resolver/rbac.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/registry/resolver/rbac.go
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ func RBACForClusterServiceVersion(csv *v1alpha1.ClusterServiceVersion) (map[stri
 		if _, ok := permissions[permission.ServiceAccountName]; !ok {
 			serviceAccount := &corev1.ServiceAccount{}
 			serviceAccount.SetName(permission.ServiceAccountName)
-			ownerutil.AddNonBlockingOwner(serviceAccount, csv)
 
 			permissions[permission.ServiceAccountName] = NewOperatorPermissions(serviceAccount)
 		}
@@ -126,9 +125,8 @@ func RBACForClusterServiceVersion(csv *v1alpha1.ClusterServiceVersion) (map[stri
 		// Create ClusterRole
 		role := &rbacv1.ClusterRole{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
-				Name:            generateName(csv.GetName()),
-				OwnerReferences: []metav1.OwnerReference{ownerutil.NonBlockingOwner(csv)},
-				Labels:          ownerutil.OwnerLabel(csv, v1alpha1.ClusterServiceVersionKind),
+				Name:   generateName(csv.GetName()),
+				Labels: ownerutil.OwnerLabel(csv, v1alpha1.ClusterServiceVersionKind),
 			},
 			Rules: permission.Rules,
 		}
@@ -137,10 +135,9 @@ func RBACForClusterServiceVersion(csv *v1alpha1.ClusterServiceVersion) (map[stri
 		// Create ClusterRoleBinding
 		roleBinding := &rbacv1.ClusterRoleBinding{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
-				Name:            generateName(fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s", role.GetName(), permission.ServiceAccountName)),
-				Namespace:       csv.GetNamespace(),
-				OwnerReferences: []metav1.OwnerReference{ownerutil.NonBlockingOwner(csv)},
-				Labels:          ownerutil.OwnerLabel(csv, v1alpha1.ClusterServiceVersionKind),
+				Name:      generateName(fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s", role.GetName(), permission.ServiceAccountName)),
+				Namespace: csv.GetNamespace(),
+				Labels:    ownerutil.OwnerLabel(csv, v1alpha1.ClusterServiceVersionKind),
 			},
 			RoleRef: rbacv1.RoleRef{
 				Kind:     "ClusterRole",