diff --git a/pkg/controller/jenkins/configuration/base/resources/pod.go b/pkg/controller/jenkins/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
index 98b37992..b1783872 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/jenkins/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/jenkins/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ const (
 	jenkinsInitConfigurationVolumeName = "init-configuration"
 	jenkinsInitConfigurationVolumePath = jenkinsPath + "/init-configuration"
 
+	refEnvironmentName = "REF"
+	// RefVolumeName is the Jenkins volume with preinstalled plugins volume name
+	RefVolumeName = "ref"
+	refVolumePath = "/usr/share/jenkins/ref/plugins"
+
 	// GroovyScriptsSecretVolumePath is a path where are groovy scripts used to configure Jenkins
 	// This script is provided by user
 	GroovyScriptsSecretVolumePath = jenkinsPath + "/groovy-scripts-secrets"
@@ -59,7 +64,16 @@ func GetJenkinsMasterContainerBaseCommand() []string {
 
 // GetJenkinsMasterContainerBaseEnvs returns Jenkins master pod envs required by operator
 func GetJenkinsMasterContainerBaseEnvs(jenkins *v1alpha2.Jenkins) []corev1.EnvVar {
-	envVars := []corev1.EnvVar{}
+	envVars := []corev1.EnvVar{
+		{
+			Name:  refEnvironmentName,
+			Value: refVolumePath,
+		},
+		{
+			Name:  "COPY_REFERENCE_FILE_LOG",
+			Value: fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", getJenkinsHomePath(jenkins), "copy_reference_file.log"),
+		},
+	}
 
 	if len(jenkins.Spec.ConfigurationAsCode.Secret.Name) > 0 {
 		envVars = append(envVars, corev1.EnvVar{
@@ -169,6 +183,11 @@ func GetJenkinsMasterContainerBaseVolumeMounts(jenkins *v1alpha2.Jenkins) []core
 			MountPath: getJenkinsHomePath(jenkins),
 			ReadOnly:  false,
 		},
+		{
+			Name:      RefVolumeName,
+			MountPath: refVolumePath,
+			ReadOnly:  false,
+		},
 		{
 			Name:      jenkinsScriptsVolumeName,
 			MountPath: JenkinsScriptsVolumePath,
diff --git a/pkg/controller/jenkins/jenkins_controller.go b/pkg/controller/jenkins/jenkins_controller.go
index c9e5b884..8c6b93cb 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/jenkins/jenkins_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/jenkins/jenkins_controller.go
@@ -496,12 +496,32 @@ func (r *ReconcileJenkins) setDefaults(jenkins *v1alpha2.Jenkins, logger logr.Lo
 		jenkins.Spec.Master.SecurityContext = &securityContext
 	}
 
+	if !refVolumeSet(*jenkins) {
+		logger.Info("Setting default Jenkins master volume with preinstalled plugins")
+		changed = true
+		jenkins.Spec.Master.Volumes = append(jenkins.Spec.Master.Volumes, corev1.Volume{
+			Name: resources.RefVolumeName,
+			VolumeSource: corev1.VolumeSource{
+				EmptyDir: &corev1.EmptyDirVolumeSource{},
+			},
+		})
+	}
+
 	if changed {
 		return changed, errors.WithStack(r.client.Update(context.TODO(), jenkins))
 	}
 	return changed, nil
 }
 
+func refVolumeSet(jenkins v1alpha2.Jenkins) bool {
+	for _, volume := range jenkins.Spec.Master.Volumes {
+		if volume.Name == resources.RefVolumeName {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func isJavaOpsVariableNotSet(container v1alpha2.Container) bool {
 	for _, env := range container.Env {
 		if env.Name == constants.JavaOpsVariableName {