diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0dd4535d..a824816b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ ifeq (,$(shell which kustomize 2>/dev/null))
 	@{ \
 	set -e ;\
 	mkdir -p $(dir $(KUSTOMIZE)) ;\
-	curl -sSLo - https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize/releases/download/kustomize/v4.5.7/kustomize_v4.5.7_$(OS)_$(ARCH).tar.gz | \
+	curl -sSLo - https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize/releases/download/kustomize/v5.3.0/kustomize_v5.3.0_$(OS)_$(ARCH).tar.gz | \
 	tar xzf - -C bin/ ;\
 	}
 else
diff --git a/config/default/kustomization.yaml b/config/default/kustomization.yaml
index 99637270..74a212f5 100644
--- a/config/default/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/config/default/kustomization.yaml
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 #- ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
-
-
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+patches:
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
diff --git a/config/testing/kustomization.yaml b/config/testing/kustomization.yaml
index 41091623..866bc70b 100644
--- a/config/testing/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/config/testing/kustomization.yaml
@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@ namePrefix: osdk-
 #commonLabels:
 #  someName: someValue
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
-- manager_image.yaml
-- debug_logs_patch.yaml
-- ../default/manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: Kustomization
@@ -21,3 +17,7 @@ resources:
 images:
 - name: testing
   newName: testing-operator
+patches:
+- path: manager_image.yaml
+- path: debug_logs_patch.yaml
+- path: ../default/manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml