diff --git a/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/templates/deployment.yaml b/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/templates/deployment.yaml
index 1b9b97186..d4bc6f056 100644
--- a/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ spec:
             - name: PROXY_DEFAULT_CLASS
               value: {{ .Values.proxyConfig.defaultProxyClass }}
             {{- end }}
+            - name: PROXY_EPHEMERAL
+              value: {{ .Values.operatorConfig.ephemeral | quote }}
             - name: POD_NAME
               valueFrom:
                 fieldRef:
diff --git a/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/templates/operator.yaml b/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/templates/operator.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ccffa8dad..000000000
--- a/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/templates/operator.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-- name: PROXY_EPHEMERAL_KEYS
-  value: {{ .Values.operatorConfig.ephemeralKeys | quote }} 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/values.yaml b/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/values.yaml
index 11eb49c88..2e47275af 100644
--- a/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/values.yaml
+++ b/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/chart/values.yaml
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ operatorConfig:
   # Ephemeral devices are automatically deleted from your tailnet when they
   # disconnect, helping keep your tailnet clean.
   # This can be overridden per proxy by setting spec.ephemeral in the ProxyClass.
-  ephemeralKeys: false
+  ephemeral: false
 
 # In the case that you already have a tailscale ingressclass in your cluster (or vcluster), you can disable the creation here
 ingressClass:
diff --git a/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/manifests/operator.yaml b/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/manifests/operator.yaml
index dc8d0634c..28f8e890e 100644
--- a/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/manifests/operator.yaml
+++ b/cmd/k8s-operator/deploy/manifests/operator.yaml
@@ -5025,6 +5025,8 @@ spec:
                       value: "false"
                     - name: PROXY_FIREWALL_MODE
                       value: auto
+                    - name: PROXY_EPHEMERAL
+                      value: "false"
                     - name: POD_NAME
                       valueFrom:
                         fieldRef:
diff --git a/cmd/k8s-operator/operator.go b/cmd/k8s-operator/operator.go
index 9419a4aff..5496c0da0 100644
--- a/cmd/k8s-operator/operator.go
+++ b/cmd/k8s-operator/operator.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func main() {
 		tsFirewallMode        = defaultEnv("PROXY_FIREWALL_MODE", "")
 		defaultProxyClass     = defaultEnv("PROXY_DEFAULT_CLASS", "")
 		isDefaultLoadBalancer = defaultBool("OPERATOR_DEFAULT_LOAD_BALANCER", false)
-		useEphemeralKeys      = defaultBool("PROXY_EPHEMERAL_KEYS", false)
+		useEphemeralKeys      = defaultBool("PROXY_EPHEMERAL", false)
 	)
 
 	var opts []kzap.Opts