diff --git a/changelog/v0.30.1/custom-operator-namespace.yaml b/changelog/v0.30.1/custom-operator-namespace.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ad1be8974
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/v0.30.1/custom-operator-namespace.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+changelog:
+  - type: NEW_FEATURE
+    issueLink: https://github.com/solo-io/gloo-mesh-enterprise/issues/9491
+    resolvesIssue: false
+    description: >
+      Allows setting a optional operator namespace on the operator that will be used when applying the
+      deployment, service account, and service for said operator.
diff --git a/codegen/model/chart.go b/codegen/model/chart.go
index e4543fafb..c3b219d80 100644
--- a/codegen/model/chart.go
+++ b/codegen/model/chart.go
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ type JsonSchema struct {
 type Operator struct {
 	Name string
 
+	// (Optional) If set, the operator deployment, service, and service account will use this namespace
+	Namespace string
+
 	// (Optional) To change the name referenced in the values file. If not specified a camelcase version of name is used
 	ValuesFileNameOverride string
 
diff --git a/codegen/templates/chart/operator-deployment.yamltmpl b/codegen/templates/chart/operator-deployment.yamltmpl
index dee7699e9..655f34d16 100644
--- a/codegen/templates/chart/operator-deployment.yamltmpl
+++ b/codegen/templates/chart/operator-deployment.yamltmpl
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ Expressions evaluating SKv2 Config use "[[" and "]]"
 [[- $customDeploymentAnnotations := $operator.Deployment.CustomDeploymentAnnotations -]]
 [[- $customServiceLabels := $operator.Service.CustomLabels -]]
 [[- $customServiceAnnotations := $operator.Service.CustomAnnotations ]]
+[[- $customNamespace := $operator.Namespace ]]
 
 {{- $[[ $operatorVar ]] := [[ (opVar $operator) ]]}}
 ---
@@ -49,7 +50,11 @@ metadata:
     [[ $key ]]: [[ $value ]]
     [[- end ]]
   name: [[ $operator.Name ]]
+  [[- if $customNamespace ]]
+  namespace: [[ $customNamespace ]]
+  [[- else ]]
   namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
+  [[- end ]]
 spec:
   selector:
     matchLabels:
@@ -177,7 +182,11 @@ metadata:
   {{- end }}
   {{- end}}
   name: [[ $operator.Name ]]
-  namespace: {{ $.Release.Namespace }}
+  [[- if $customNamespace ]]
+  namespace: [[ $customNamespace ]]
+  [[- else ]]
+  namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
+  [[- end ]]
 {{- end }}
 
 
@@ -200,7 +209,11 @@ metadata:
     [[ $key ]]: [[ $value ]]
     [[- end ]]
   name: [[ $operator.Name ]]
-  namespace: {{ $.Release.Namespace }}
+  [[- if $customNamespace ]]
+  namespace: [[ $customNamespace ]]
+  [[- else ]]
+  namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
+  [[- end ]]
 spec:
   selector:
     app: [[ $operator.Name ]]
diff --git a/codegen/test/chart-envvars/templates/deployment.yaml b/codegen/test/chart-envvars/templates/deployment.yaml
index e034ceae5..40aa452dc 100644
--- a/codegen/test/chart-envvars/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/codegen/test/chart-envvars/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ metadata:
   {{- end }}
   {{- end}}
   name: painter
-  namespace: {{ $.Release.Namespace }}
+  namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
 {{- end }}
 
 
diff --git a/codegen/test/chart-no-desc/templates/deployment.yaml b/codegen/test/chart-no-desc/templates/deployment.yaml
index 34c4de1e6..e0a1cb765 100644
--- a/codegen/test/chart-no-desc/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/codegen/test/chart-no-desc/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ metadata:
   {{- end }}
   {{- end}}
   name: painter
-  namespace: {{ $.Release.Namespace }}
+  namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
 {{- end }}
 
 
diff --git a/codegen/test/chart-sidecar/templates/deployment.yaml b/codegen/test/chart-sidecar/templates/deployment.yaml
index 7b9c5d259..76a2878c9 100644
--- a/codegen/test/chart-sidecar/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/codegen/test/chart-sidecar/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ metadata:
   {{- end }}
   {{- end}}
   name: painter
-  namespace: {{ $.Release.Namespace }}
+  namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
 {{- end }}
 
 
diff --git a/codegen/test/chart/templates/deployment.yaml b/codegen/test/chart/templates/deployment.yaml
index 34c4de1e6..e0a1cb765 100644
--- a/codegen/test/chart/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/codegen/test/chart/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ metadata:
   {{- end }}
   {{- end}}
   name: painter
-  namespace: {{ $.Release.Namespace }}
+  namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
 {{- end }}
 
 
diff --git a/codegen/test/name_override_chart/templates/deployment.yaml b/codegen/test/name_override_chart/templates/deployment.yaml
index 911ba1fcf..f48d7a388 100644
--- a/codegen/test/name_override_chart/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/codegen/test/name_override_chart/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ metadata:
   {{- end }}
   {{- end}}
   name: painter-original-name
-  namespace: {{ $.Release.Namespace }}
+  namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
 {{- end }}