diff --git a/cmd/background-controller/main.go b/cmd/background-controller/main.go
index dd34c20ed7..2dbb67545a 100644
--- a/cmd/background-controller/main.go
+++ b/cmd/background-controller/main.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	kyvernoinformer "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/client/informers/externalversions"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/dclient"
 	dynamicclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/dynamic"
-	kubeclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/kube"
 	kyvernoclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/kyverno"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/config"
 	policymetricscontroller "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/controllers/metrics/policy"
@@ -81,14 +80,12 @@ func createrLeaderControllers(
 
 func main() {
 	var (
-		genWorkers                int
-		maxQueuedEvents           int
-		leaderElectionRetryPeriod time.Duration
+		genWorkers      int
+		maxQueuedEvents int
 	)
 	flagset := flag.NewFlagSet("updaterequest-controller", flag.ExitOnError)
 	flagset.IntVar(&genWorkers, "genWorkers", 10, "Workers for the background controller.")
 	flagset.IntVar(&maxQueuedEvents, "maxQueuedEvents", 1000, "Maximum events to be queued.")
-	flagset.DurationVar(&leaderElectionRetryPeriod, "leaderElectionRetryPeriod", leaderelection.DefaultRetryPeriod, "Configure leader election retry period.")
 	// config
 	appConfig := internal.NewConfiguration(
 		internal.WithProfiling(),
@@ -99,6 +96,7 @@ func main() {
 		internal.WithConfigMapCaching(),
 		internal.WithCosign(),
 		internal.WithRegistryClient(),
+		internal.WithLeaderElection(),
 		internal.WithFlagSets(flagset),
 	)
 	// parse flags
@@ -107,7 +105,6 @@ func main() {
 	signalCtx, setup, sdown := internal.Setup(appConfig, "kyverno-background-controller", false)
 	defer sdown()
 	// create instrumented clients
-	leaderElectionClient := internal.CreateKubernetesClient(setup.Logger, kubeclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KubeClient), kubeclient.WithTracing())
 	kyvernoClient := internal.CreateKyvernoClient(setup.Logger, kyvernoclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KyvernoClient), kyvernoclient.WithTracing())
 	dynamicClient := internal.CreateDynamicClient(setup.Logger, dynamicclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KyvernoClient), dynamicclient.WithTracing())
 	dClient, err := dclient.NewClient(signalCtx, dynamicClient, setup.KubeClient, 15*time.Minute)
@@ -157,9 +154,9 @@ func main() {
 		setup.Logger.WithName("leader-election"),
 		"kyverno-background-controller",
 		config.KyvernoNamespace(),
-		leaderElectionClient,
+		setup.LeaderElectionClient,
 		config.KyvernoPodName(),
-		leaderElectionRetryPeriod,
+		internal.LeaderElectionRetryPeriod(),
 		func(ctx context.Context) {
 			logger := setup.Logger.WithName("leader")
 			// create leader factories
diff --git a/cmd/cleanup-controller/main.go b/cmd/cleanup-controller/main.go
index 430683ea84..436855aa4f 100644
--- a/cmd/cleanup-controller/main.go
+++ b/cmd/cleanup-controller/main.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/cmd/internal"
 	kyvernoinformer "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/client/informers/externalversions"
 	dynamicclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/dynamic"
-	kubeclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/kube"
 	kyvernoclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/kyverno"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/controllers/certmanager"
@@ -52,14 +51,12 @@ func (probes) IsLive() bool {
 
 func main() {
 	var (
-		leaderElectionRetryPeriod time.Duration
-		dumpPayload               bool
-		serverIP                  string
-		servicePort               int
+		dumpPayload bool
+		serverIP    string
+		servicePort int
 	)
 	flagset := flag.NewFlagSet("cleanup-controller", flag.ExitOnError)
 	flagset.BoolVar(&dumpPayload, "dumpPayload", false, "Set this flag to activate/deactivate debug mode.")
-	flagset.DurationVar(&leaderElectionRetryPeriod, "leaderElectionRetryPeriod", leaderelection.DefaultRetryPeriod, "Configure leader election retry period.")
 	flagset.StringVar(&serverIP, "serverIP", "", "IP address where Kyverno controller runs. Only required if out-of-cluster.")
 	flagset.IntVar(&servicePort, "servicePort", 443, "Port used by the Kyverno Service resource and for webhook configurations.")
 	// config
@@ -68,6 +65,7 @@ func main() {
 		internal.WithMetrics(),
 		internal.WithTracing(),
 		internal.WithKubeconfig(),
+		internal.WithLeaderElection(),
 		internal.WithFlagSets(flagset),
 	)
 	// parse flags
@@ -76,16 +74,15 @@ func main() {
 	ctx, setup, sdown := internal.Setup(appConfig, "kyverno-cleanup-controller", false)
 	defer sdown()
 	// create instrumented clients
-	leaderElectionClient := internal.CreateKubernetesClient(setup.Logger, kubeclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KubeClient), kubeclient.WithTracing())
 	kyvernoClient := internal.CreateKyvernoClient(setup.Logger, kyvernoclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KubeClient), kyvernoclient.WithTracing())
 	// setup leader election
 	le, err := leaderelection.New(
 		setup.Logger.WithName("leader-election"),
 		"kyverno-cleanup-controller",
 		config.KyvernoNamespace(),
-		leaderElectionClient,
+		setup.LeaderElectionClient,
 		config.KyvernoPodName(),
-		leaderElectionRetryPeriod,
+		internal.LeaderElectionRetryPeriod(),
 		func(ctx context.Context) {
 			logger := setup.Logger.WithName("leader")
 			// informer factories
diff --git a/cmd/internal/client.go b/cmd/internal/client.go
index 78bbacf85d..7ec0b341b3 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/client.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/client.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func createClientConfig(logger logr.Logger) *rest.Config {
 	return clientConfig
 }
 
-func CreateKubernetesClient(logger logr.Logger, opts ...kube.NewOption) kubernetes.Interface {
+func createKubernetesClient(logger logr.Logger, opts ...kube.NewOption) kubernetes.Interface {
 	logger = logger.WithName("kube-client")
 	logger.Info("create kube client...", "kubeconfig", kubeconfig, "qps", clientRateLimitQPS, "burst", clientRateLimitBurst)
 	client, err := kube.NewForConfig(createClientConfig(logger), opts...)
diff --git a/cmd/internal/config.go b/cmd/internal/config.go
index 45eae25637..30d9181432 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/config.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/config.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ type Configuration interface {
 	UsesConfigMapCaching() bool
 	UsesCosign() bool
 	UsesRegistryClient() bool
+	UsesLeaderElection() bool
 	FlagSets() []*flag.FlagSet
 }
 
@@ -74,6 +75,12 @@ func WithRegistryClient() ConfigurationOption {
 	}
 }
 
+func WithLeaderElection() ConfigurationOption {
+	return func(c *configuration) {
+		c.usesLeaderElection = true
+	}
+}
+
 func WithFlagSets(flagsets ...*flag.FlagSet) ConfigurationOption {
 	return func(c *configuration) {
 		c.flagSets = append(c.flagSets, flagsets...)
@@ -89,6 +96,7 @@ type configuration struct {
 	usesConfigMapCaching bool
 	usesCosign           bool
 	usesRegistryClient   bool
+	usesLeaderElection   bool
 	flagSets             []*flag.FlagSet
 }
 
@@ -124,6 +132,10 @@ func (c *configuration) UsesRegistryClient() bool {
 	return c.usesRegistryClient
 }
 
+func (c *configuration) UsesLeaderElection() bool {
+	return c.usesLeaderElection
+}
+
 func (c *configuration) FlagSets() []*flag.FlagSet {
 	return c.flagSets
 }
diff --git a/cmd/internal/flag.go b/cmd/internal/flag.go
index 940893e9bc..ab31fb40f8 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/flag.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/flag.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package internal
 
 import (
 	"flag"
+	"time"
 
+	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/leaderelection"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/logging"
 )
 
@@ -37,6 +39,8 @@ var (
 	// registry client
 	imagePullSecrets      string
 	allowInsecureRegistry bool
+	// leader election
+	leaderElectionRetryPeriod time.Duration
 )
 
 func initLoggingFlags() {
@@ -90,6 +94,10 @@ func initRegistryClientFlags() {
 	flag.StringVar(&imagePullSecrets, "imagePullSecrets", "", "Secret resource names for image registry access credentials.")
 }
 
+func initLeaderElectionFlags() {
+	flag.DurationVar(&leaderElectionRetryPeriod, "leaderElectionRetryPeriod", leaderelection.DefaultRetryPeriod, "Configure leader election retry period.")
+}
+
 func InitFlags(config Configuration) {
 	// logging
 	initLoggingFlags()
@@ -125,6 +133,10 @@ func InitFlags(config Configuration) {
 	if config.UsesRegistryClient() {
 		initRegistryClientFlags()
 	}
+	// leader election
+	if config.UsesLeaderElection() {
+		initLeaderElectionFlags()
+	}
 	for _, flagset := range config.FlagSets() {
 		flagset.VisitAll(func(f *flag.Flag) {
 			flag.CommandLine.Var(f.Value, f.Name, f.Usage)
@@ -144,3 +156,7 @@ func ExceptionNamespace() string {
 func PolicyExceptionEnabled() bool {
 	return enablePolicyException
 }
+
+func LeaderElectionRetryPeriod() time.Duration {
+	return leaderElectionRetryPeriod
+}
diff --git a/cmd/internal/logging.go b/cmd/internal/logging.go
index 13f41e1fc8..ab94a4c59b 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/logging.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/logging.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/logging"
 )
 
-func SetupLogger() logr.Logger {
+func setupLogger() logr.Logger {
 	logLevel, err := strconv.Atoi(flag.Lookup("v").Value.String())
 	checkErr(err, "failed to setup logger")
 	checkErr(logging.Setup(loggingFormat, logLevel), "failed to setup logger")
diff --git a/cmd/internal/maxprocs.go b/cmd/internal/maxprocs.go
index 002cbeb97f..b8e203bcd0 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/maxprocs.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/maxprocs.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/automaxprocs/maxprocs"
 )
 
-func SetupMaxProcs(logger logr.Logger) func() {
+func setupMaxProcs(logger logr.Logger) func() {
 	logger = logger.WithName("maxprocs")
 	logger.Info("setup maxprocs...")
 	undo, err := maxprocs.Set(
diff --git a/cmd/internal/profiling.go b/cmd/internal/profiling.go
index c73e70df58..f5ef87a869 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/profiling.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/profiling.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/profiling"
 )
 
-func SetupProfiling(logger logr.Logger) {
+func setupProfiling(logger logr.Logger) {
 	logger = logger.WithName("profiling").WithValues("enabled", profilingEnabled, "address", profilingAddress, "port", profilingPort)
 	if profilingEnabled {
 		logger.Info("setup profiling...")
diff --git a/cmd/internal/setup.go b/cmd/internal/setup.go
index 546fc766c4..56469dcbfa 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/setup.go
@@ -28,16 +28,17 @@ type SetupResult struct {
 	MetricsConfiguration config.MetricsConfiguration
 	MetricsManager       metrics.MetricsConfigManager
 	KubeClient           kubernetes.Interface
+	LeaderElectionClient kubernetes.Interface
 	RegistryClient       registryclient.Client
 }
 
 func Setup(config Configuration, name string, skipResourceFilters bool) (context.Context, SetupResult, context.CancelFunc) {
-	logger := SetupLogger()
-	ShowVersion(logger)
-	sdownMaxProcs := SetupMaxProcs(logger)
-	SetupProfiling(logger)
-	ctx, sdownSignals := SetupSignals(logger)
-	client := kubeclient.From(CreateKubernetesClient(logger), kubeclient.WithTracing())
+	logger := setupLogger()
+	showVersion(logger)
+	sdownMaxProcs := setupMaxProcs(logger)
+	setupProfiling(logger)
+	ctx, sdownSignals := setupSignals(logger)
+	client := kubeclient.From(createKubernetesClient(logger), kubeclient.WithTracing())
 	metricsConfiguration := startMetricsConfigController(ctx, logger, client)
 	metricsManager, sdownMetrics := SetupMetrics(ctx, logger, metricsConfiguration, client)
 	client = client.WithMetrics(metricsManager, metrics.KubeClient)
@@ -48,6 +49,10 @@ func Setup(config Configuration, name string, skipResourceFilters bool) (context
 	if config.UsesRegistryClient() {
 		registryClient = setupRegistryClient(ctx, logger, client)
 	}
+	var leaderElectionClient kubernetes.Interface
+	if config.UsesLeaderElection() {
+		leaderElectionClient = createKubernetesClient(logger, kubeclient.WithMetrics(metricsManager, metrics.KubeClient), kubeclient.WithTracing())
+	}
 	return ctx,
 		SetupResult{
 			Logger:               logger,
@@ -55,6 +60,7 @@ func Setup(config Configuration, name string, skipResourceFilters bool) (context
 			MetricsConfiguration: metricsConfiguration,
 			MetricsManager:       metricsManager,
 			KubeClient:           client,
+			LeaderElectionClient: leaderElectionClient,
 			RegistryClient:       registryClient,
 		},
 		shutdown(logger.WithName("shutdown"), sdownMaxProcs, sdownMetrics, sdownTracing, sdownSignals)
diff --git a/cmd/internal/signal.go b/cmd/internal/signal.go
index e639d65852..f85df1ba0f 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/signal.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/signal.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 var Context = context.Background()
 
-func SetupSignals(logger logr.Logger) (context.Context, context.CancelFunc) {
+func setupSignals(logger logr.Logger) (context.Context, context.CancelFunc) {
 	logger = logger.WithName("signals")
 	logger.Info("setup signals...")
 	return signal.NotifyContext(Context, os.Interrupt, syscall.SIGTERM)
diff --git a/cmd/internal/version.go b/cmd/internal/version.go
index 5bcbf3cbe0..7444f1549c 100644
--- a/cmd/internal/version.go
+++ b/cmd/internal/version.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/version"
 )
 
-func ShowVersion(logger logr.Logger) {
+func showVersion(logger logr.Logger) {
 	logger = logger.WithName("version")
 	version.PrintVersionInfo(logger)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/kyverno/main.go b/cmd/kyverno/main.go
index 10574cc6de..4c6d28b9f3 100644
--- a/cmd/kyverno/main.go
+++ b/cmd/kyverno/main.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 	apiserverclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/apiserver"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/dclient"
 	dynamicclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/dynamic"
-	kubeclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/kube"
 	kyvernoclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/kyverno"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/controllers/certmanager"
@@ -192,7 +191,6 @@ func main() {
 		webhookRegistrationTimeout   time.Duration
 		admissionReports             bool
 		dumpPayload                  bool
-		leaderElectionRetryPeriod    time.Duration
 		servicePort                  int
 		backgroundServiceAccountName string
 	)
@@ -207,7 +205,6 @@ func main() {
 	flagset.Func(toggle.ProtectManagedResourcesFlagName, toggle.ProtectManagedResourcesDescription, toggle.ProtectManagedResources.Parse)
 	flagset.Func(toggle.ForceFailurePolicyIgnoreFlagName, toggle.ForceFailurePolicyIgnoreDescription, toggle.ForceFailurePolicyIgnore.Parse)
 	flagset.BoolVar(&admissionReports, "admissionReports", true, "Enable or disable admission reports.")
-	flagset.DurationVar(&leaderElectionRetryPeriod, "leaderElectionRetryPeriod", leaderelection.DefaultRetryPeriod, "Configure leader election retry period.")
 	flagset.IntVar(&servicePort, "servicePort", 443, "Port used by the Kyverno Service resource and for webhook configurations.")
 	flagset.StringVar(&backgroundServiceAccountName, "backgroundServiceAccountName", "", "Background service account name.")
 	// config
@@ -220,6 +217,7 @@ func main() {
 		internal.WithConfigMapCaching(),
 		internal.WithCosign(),
 		internal.WithRegistryClient(),
+		internal.WithLeaderElection(),
 		internal.WithFlagSets(flagset),
 	)
 	// parse flags
@@ -230,7 +228,6 @@ func main() {
 	// show version
 	showWarnings(setup.Logger)
 	// create instrumented clients
-	leaderElectionClient := internal.CreateKubernetesClient(setup.Logger, kubeclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KubeClient), kubeclient.WithTracing())
 	kyvernoClient := internal.CreateKyvernoClient(setup.Logger, kyvernoclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KyvernoClient), kyvernoclient.WithTracing())
 	dynamicClient := internal.CreateDynamicClient(setup.Logger, dynamicclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KyvernoClient), dynamicclient.WithTracing())
 	apiserverClient := internal.CreateApiServerClient(setup.Logger, apiserverclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KubeClient), apiserverclient.WithTracing())
@@ -343,9 +340,9 @@ func main() {
 		setup.Logger.WithName("leader-election"),
 		"kyverno",
 		config.KyvernoNamespace(),
-		leaderElectionClient,
+		setup.LeaderElectionClient,
 		config.KyvernoPodName(),
-		leaderElectionRetryPeriod,
+		internal.LeaderElectionRetryPeriod(),
 		func(ctx context.Context) {
 			logger := setup.Logger.WithName("leader")
 			// create leader factories
diff --git a/cmd/reports-controller/main.go b/cmd/reports-controller/main.go
index a0c077fb2e..eff7216c77 100644
--- a/cmd/reports-controller/main.go
+++ b/cmd/reports-controller/main.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	kyvernoinformer "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/client/informers/externalversions"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/dclient"
 	dynamicclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/dynamic"
-	kubeclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/kube"
 	kyvernoclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/kyverno"
 	metadataclient "github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/clients/metadata"
 	"github.com/kyverno/kyverno/pkg/config"
@@ -159,17 +158,15 @@ func createrLeaderControllers(
 
 func main() {
 	var (
-		leaderElectionRetryPeriod time.Duration
-		backgroundScan            bool
-		admissionReports          bool
-		reportsChunkSize          int
-		backgroundScanWorkers     int
-		backgroundScanInterval    time.Duration
-		maxQueuedEvents           int
-		skipResourceFilters       bool
+		backgroundScan         bool
+		admissionReports       bool
+		reportsChunkSize       int
+		backgroundScanWorkers  int
+		backgroundScanInterval time.Duration
+		maxQueuedEvents        int
+		skipResourceFilters    bool
 	)
 	flagset := flag.NewFlagSet("reports-controller", flag.ExitOnError)
-	flagset.DurationVar(&leaderElectionRetryPeriod, "leaderElectionRetryPeriod", leaderelection.DefaultRetryPeriod, "Configure leader election retry period.")
 	flagset.BoolVar(&backgroundScan, "backgroundScan", true, "Enable or disable backgound scan.")
 	flagset.BoolVar(&admissionReports, "admissionReports", true, "Enable or disable admission reports.")
 	flagset.IntVar(&reportsChunkSize, "reportsChunkSize", 1000, "Max number of results in generated reports, reports will be split accordingly if there are more results to be stored.")
@@ -187,6 +184,7 @@ func main() {
 		internal.WithConfigMapCaching(),
 		internal.WithCosign(),
 		internal.WithRegistryClient(),
+		internal.WithLeaderElection(),
 		internal.WithFlagSets(flagset),
 	)
 	// parse flags
@@ -195,7 +193,6 @@ func main() {
 	ctx, setup, sdown := internal.Setup(appConfig, "kyverno-reports-controller", skipResourceFilters)
 	defer sdown()
 	// create instrumented clients
-	leaderElectionClient := internal.CreateKubernetesClient(setup.Logger, kubeclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KubeClient), kubeclient.WithTracing())
 	kyvernoClient := internal.CreateKyvernoClient(setup.Logger, kyvernoclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KyvernoClient), kyvernoclient.WithTracing())
 	metadataClient := internal.CreateMetadataClient(setup.Logger, metadataclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KyvernoClient), metadataclient.WithTracing())
 	dynamicClient := internal.CreateDynamicClient(setup.Logger, dynamicclient.WithMetrics(setup.MetricsManager, metrics.KyvernoClient), dynamicclient.WithTracing())
@@ -240,9 +237,9 @@ func main() {
 		setup.Logger.WithName("leader-election"),
 		"kyverno-reports-controller",
 		config.KyvernoNamespace(),
-		leaderElectionClient,
+		setup.LeaderElectionClient,
 		config.KyvernoPodName(),
-		leaderElectionRetryPeriod,
+		internal.LeaderElectionRetryPeriod(),
 		func(ctx context.Context) {
 			logger := setup.Logger.WithName("leader")
 			// create leader factories