diff --git a/cmd/cdi-controller/controller.go b/cmd/cdi-controller/controller.go
index 37487ddf67..3c790827f9 100644
--- a/cmd/cdi-controller/controller.go
+++ b/cmd/cdi-controller/controller.go
@@ -145,7 +145,14 @@ func start(ctx context.Context, cfg *rest.Config) {
 		klog.Fatalf("Error building extClient: %s", err.Error())
 	}
 
-	mgr, err := manager.New(config.GetConfigOrDie(), manager.Options{})
+	opts := manager.Options{
+		LeaderElection:             true,
+		LeaderElectionNamespace:    namespace,
+		LeaderElectionID:           "cdi-controller-leader-election-helper",
+		LeaderElectionResourceLock: "leases",
+	}
+
+	mgr, err := manager.New(config.GetConfigOrDie(), opts)
 	if err != nil {
 		klog.Errorf("Unable to setup controller manager: %v", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/cmd/cdi-operator/operator.go b/cmd/cdi-operator/operator.go
index e6d24a0939..dad21c6261 100644
--- a/cmd/cdi-operator/operator.go
+++ b/cmd/cdi-operator/operator.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func main() {
 		LeaderElection:             true,
 		LeaderElectionNamespace:    namespace,
 		LeaderElectionID:           "cdi-operator-leader-election-helper",
-		LeaderElectionResourceLock: "configmaps",
+		LeaderElectionResourceLock: "configmapsleases",
 	}
 
 	// Create a new Manager to provide shared dependencies and start components
diff --git a/pkg/operator/resources/namespaced/controller.go b/pkg/operator/resources/namespaced/controller.go
index 174af7d5d6..e577f4d890 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/resources/namespaced/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/resources/namespaced/controller.go
@@ -116,6 +116,17 @@ func createControllerRole() *rbacv1.Role {
 				"delete",
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			APIGroups: []string{
+				"coordination.k8s.io",
+			},
+			Resources: []string{
+				"leases",
+			},
+			Verbs: []string{
+				"*",
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	return utils.ResourceBuilder.CreateRole(controllerResourceName, rules)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/operator/resources/operator/operator.go b/pkg/operator/resources/operator/operator.go
index 0da9442933..fe89466365 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/resources/operator/operator.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/resources/operator/operator.go
@@ -237,6 +237,17 @@ func getNamespacedPolicyRules() []rbacv1.PolicyRule {
 				"patch",
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			APIGroups: []string{
+				"coordination.k8s.io",
+			},
+			Resources: []string{
+				"leases",
+			},
+			Verbs: []string{
+				"*",
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	return rules
 }