diff --git a/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerConfig.ftl.yaml b/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerConfig.ftl.yaml
index eb05f4d..8194c90 100644
--- a/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerConfig.ftl.yaml
+++ b/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerConfig.ftl.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ metadata:
     app.kubernetes.io/name: ${ constants.APP_NAME }
     app.kubernetes.io/instance: ${ cr.metadata.name.asString }
     app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: ${ constants.VM_OP_NAME }
+  ownerReferences:
+  - apiVersion: ${ cr.apiVersion.asString }
+    kind: ${ constants.VM_OP_KIND_VM }
+    name: ${ cr.metadata.name.asString }
+    uid: ${ cr.metadata.uid.asString }
+    controller: false
   
 data:
   config.yaml: |
diff --git a/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerService.ftl.yaml b/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerService.ftl.yaml
index ee0d88d..c22c14b 100644
--- a/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerService.ftl.yaml
+++ b/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerService.ftl.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ metadata:
     app.kubernetes.io/name: ${ constants.APP_NAME }
     app.kubernetes.io/instance: ${ cr.metadata.name.asString }
     app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: ${ constants.VM_OP_NAME }
+  ownerReferences:
+  - apiVersion: ${ cr.apiVersion.asString }
+    kind: ${ constants.VM_OP_KIND_VM }
+    name: ${ cr.metadata.name.asString }
+    uid: ${ cr.metadata.uid.asString }
+    controller: false
+
 spec:
   ports:
   - name: spice
diff --git a/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerSts.ftl.yaml b/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerSts.ftl.yaml
index b74e24c..4c42328 100644
--- a/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerSts.ftl.yaml
+++ b/org.jdrupes.vmoperator.manager/resources/org/jdrupes/vmoperator/manager/runnerSts.ftl.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ metadata:
     app.kubernetes.io/name: ${ constants.APP_NAME }
     app.kubernetes.io/instance: ${ cr.metadata.name.asString }
     app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: ${ constants.VM_OP_NAME }
+  ownerReferences:
+  - apiVersion: ${ cr.apiVersion.asString }
+    kind: ${ constants.VM_OP_KIND_VM }
+    name: ${ cr.metadata.name.asString }
+    uid: ${ cr.metadata.uid.asString }
+    controller: false
+
 spec:
   selector:
     matchLabels: