diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/Operator.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/Operator.java
index 9765ede762..77f8a933d7 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/Operator.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/Operator.java
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator;
 
-import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
-import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.function.Consumer;
 
@@ -75,10 +73,6 @@ public KubernetesClient getKubernetesClient() {
     return kubernetesClient;
   }
 
-  public List<Controller> getControllers() {
-    return new ArrayList<>(controllers.controllers.values());
-  }
-
   /**
    * Finishes the operator startup process. This is mostly used in injection-aware applications
    * where there is no obvious entrypoint to the application which can trigger the injection process
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/OperatorTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/OperatorTest.java
index 2a1b48f019..b8d00d858e 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/OperatorTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/OperatorTest.java
@@ -10,13 +10,10 @@
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.KubernetesClient;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.AbstractConfigurationService;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.ConfigurationServiceProvider;
-import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.MockControllerConfiguration;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Reconciler;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.UpdateControl;
 
-import static org.assertj.core.api.AssertionsForClassTypes.assertThat;
-
 @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
 class OperatorTest {
 
@@ -30,20 +27,6 @@ static void setUpConfigurationServiceProvider() {
     ConfigurationServiceProvider.reset();
   }
 
-  @Test
-  @DisplayName("should register `Reconciler` to Controller")
-  public void shouldRegisterReconcilerToController() {
-    // given
-    final var configuration = MockControllerConfiguration.forResource(ConfigMap.class);
-
-    // when
-    operator.register(fooReconciler, configuration);
-
-    // then
-    assertThat(operator.getControllers().size()).isEqualTo(1);
-    assertThat(operator.getControllers().get(0).getReconciler()).isEqualTo(fooReconciler);
-  }
-
   @Test
   @DisplayName("should throw `OperationException` when Configuration is null")
   public void shouldThrowOperatorExceptionWhenConfigurationIsNull() {
diff --git a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/OperatorExtension.java b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/OperatorExtension.java
index d95e9466a7..0c2cb39385 100644
--- a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/OperatorExtension.java
+++ b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/OperatorExtension.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.ConfigurationService;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.ControllerConfigurationOverrider;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Reconciler;
-import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.Controller;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.retry.Retry;
 
 import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.ControllerConfigurationOverrider.override;
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@ public static Builder builder() {
   }
 
   private Stream<Reconciler> reconcilers() {
-    return operator.getControllers().stream().map(Controller::getReconciler);
+    return reconcilers.stream().map(reconcilerSpec -> reconcilerSpec.reconciler);
   }
 
   public List<Reconciler> getReconcilers() {