diff --git a/BUILD.bazel b/BUILD.bazel
index 7b37cc124..e2e5c98da 100644
--- a/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/BUILD.bazel
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ oci_push(
     image = "//cmd/cockroach-operator:index",
     remote_tags = ":tags",
     repository = "${DOCKER_REGISTRY}/${DOCKER_IMAGE_REPOSITORY}",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
 filegroup(
diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index 82f81dd75..1aa552fec 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -129,42 +129,6 @@ load("@rules_pkg//:deps.bzl", "rules_pkg_dependencies")
 
 rules_pkg_dependencies()
 
-################################
-# Load rules_k8s and configure #
-################################
-http_archive(
-    name = "io_bazel_rules_k8s",
-    sha256 = "ce5b9bc0926681e2e7f2147b49096f143e6cbc783e71bc1d4f36ca76b00e6f4a",
-    strip_prefix = "rules_k8s-0.7",
-    urls = ["https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_k8s/archive/refs/tags/v0.7.tar.gz"],
-)
-
-load("@io_bazel_rules_k8s//k8s:k8s.bzl", "k8s_repositories")
-
-k8s_repositories()
-
-load("@io_bazel_rules_k8s//k8s:k8s.bzl", "k8s_defaults")
-
-#############################################################
-# Setting up the defaults for rules k8s.  The varible values
-# are replaced by hack/build/print-workspace-status.sh
-# Using environment variables that are prefixed with the word
-# 'STAMP_' causes the rules_k8s files to rebuild when the
-# --stamp and evn values change.
-#############################################################
-k8s_defaults(
-    # This becomes the name of the @repository and the rule
-    # you will import in your BUILD files.
-    name = "k8s_deploy",
-    # This is the name of the cluster as it appears in:
-    #   kubectl config view --minify -o=jsonpath='{.contexts[0].context.cluster}'
-    # You are able to override the default cluster by setting the env variable K8S_CLUSTER
-    cluster = "{STABLE_CLUSTER}",
-    # You are able to override the default registry by setting the env variable DEV_REGISTRY
-    image_chroot = "{STABLE_IMAGE_REGISTRY}",
-    kind = "deployment",
-)
-
 ###################################################
 # Load kubernetes repo-infra for tools like kazel #
 ###################################################
diff --git a/config/crd/BUILD.bazel b/config/crd/BUILD.bazel
index b2620cd95..9657de911 100644
--- a/config/crd/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/config/crd/BUILD.bazel
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-load("@k8s_deploy//:defaults.bzl", "k8s_deploy")
 load("//hack/build:kustomize.bzl", "kustomization")
 
 kustomization(
@@ -20,9 +19,12 @@ kustomization(
     srcs = [":all-srcs"],
 )
 
-k8s_deploy(
-    name = "crd",
-    template = ":manifest",
+# Use a shell script to apply the manifest via kubectl
+sh_binary(
+    name = "apply_k8s_crd",
+    srcs = ["//config/default:apply_k8s_script"],
+    args = ["$(location :manifest)"],
+    data = [":manifest"],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
diff --git a/config/default/BUILD.bazel b/config/default/BUILD.bazel
index 95c973a6c..278aa152d 100644
--- a/config/default/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/config/default/BUILD.bazel
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-load("@k8s_deploy//:defaults.bzl", "k8s_deploy")
-load("@io_bazel_rules_k8s//k8s:objects.bzl", "k8s_objects")
 load("//hack/build:kustomize.bzl", "kustomization")
 
 # Builds the whole enchilada including the crds, rbac sa(s)/roles/bindings, manager
@@ -28,21 +26,18 @@ kustomization(
     ],
 )
 
-k8s_deploy(
-    name = "image",
-    images = {
-        # when running locally, use the image from the local codebase
-        "cockroach-operator:$(APP_VERSION)": "//cmd/cockroach-operator:operator_image",
-    },
-    resolver_args = ["--allow_unused_images"],
-    template = ":manifest",
+filegroup(
+    name = "apply_k8s_script",
+    srcs = ["apply_k8s.sh"],  # List the shell script here
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],  # Make it accessible to other packages
 )
 
-k8s_objects(
-    name = "install",
-    objects = [
-        ":image",
-    ],
+# Use a shell script to apply the manifest via kubectl
+sh_binary(
+    name = "apply_k8s_app",
+    srcs = ["apply_k8s.sh"],
+    args = ["$(location :manifest)"],
+    data = [":manifest"],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
diff --git a/config/default/apply_k8s.sh b/config/default/apply_k8s.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..3292ee319
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/default/apply_k8s.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+MANIFEST="$1"
+
+if [ -z "$MANIFEST" ]; then
+  echo "Manifest file not provided."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+kubectl apply -f "$MANIFEST"
diff --git a/config/webhook/BUILD.bazel b/config/webhook/BUILD.bazel
index 229e5068f..91bdb188d 100644
--- a/config/webhook/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/config/webhook/BUILD.bazel
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-load("@k8s_deploy//:defaults.bzl", "k8s_deploy")
 load("//hack/build:kustomize.bzl", "kustomization")
 
 kustomization(
@@ -20,9 +19,12 @@ kustomization(
     srcs = [":all-srcs"],
 )
 
-k8s_deploy(
-    name = "webhook",
-    template = ":manifest",
+# Use a shell script to apply the manifest via kubectl
+sh_binary(
+    name = "apply_k8s_webhook",
+    srcs = ["//config/default:apply_k8s_script"],
+    args = ["$(location :manifest)"],
+    data = [":manifest"],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
diff --git a/hack/dev.sh b/hack/dev.sh
index 311cb2c64..b5a124783 100755
--- a/hack/dev.sh
+++ b/hack/dev.sh
@@ -49,12 +49,15 @@ install_operator() {
   # ${REGISTRY_NAME} must be mapped to localhost or 127.0.0.1 to push the image to the k3d registry.
   bazel run //hack/crdbversions:crdbversions -- -operator-image ${DEV_REGISTRY}/cockroach-operator -operator-version ${APP_VERSION} -crdb-versions $(PWD)/crdb-versions.yaml -repo-root $(PWD)
   K8S_CLUSTER="k3d-${CLUSTER_NAME}" \
-    DEV_REGISTRY="${DEV_REGISTRY}" \
+    DOCKER_REGISTRY="${DEV_REGISTRY}" \
+    DOCKER_IMAGE_REPOSITORY="cockroach-operator" \
+    APP_VERSION="${APP_VERSION}" \
     bazel run \
     --stamp \
-    --platforms=@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:linux_amd64 \
-    --define APP_VERSION=${APP_VERSION} \
-    //config/default:install.apply
+    //:push_operator_image
+    bazel run \
+        --stamp \
+    //config/default:apply_k8s_app
 }
 
 wait_for_ready() {