diff --git a/api/v1alpha2/jenkins_types.go b/api/v1alpha2/jenkins_types.go
index 09332af4..7b36a720 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha2/jenkins_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha2/jenkins_types.go
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ type JenkinsMaster struct {
 	//     periodSeconds: 10
 	//     successThreshold: 1
 	//     timeoutSeconds: 5
+	// 	 lifecycle: {}
 	//   name: jenkins-master
 	//   readinessProbe:
 	//     failureThreshold: 3
diff --git a/chart/jenkins-operator/templates/jenkins.yaml b/chart/jenkins-operator/templates/jenkins.yaml
index 72c18c23..0906891f 100644
--- a/chart/jenkins-operator/templates/jenkins.yaml
+++ b/chart/jenkins-operator/templates/jenkins.yaml
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ spec:
         {{- with .Values.jenkins.env }}
         env: {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
         {{- end }}
+        {{- with .Values.jenkins.lifecycle}}
+        lifecycle: {{ toYaml . | nindent 10 }}
+        {{- end }}
         {{- with .Values.jenkins.volumeMounts }}
         volumeMounts: {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
         {{- end }}
diff --git a/chart/jenkins-operator/values.yaml b/chart/jenkins-operator/values.yaml
index c2a1cdd1..e4034798 100644
--- a/chart/jenkins-operator/values.yaml
+++ b/chart/jenkins-operator/values.yaml
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ jenkins:
   # imagePullPolicy defines policy for pulling images
   imagePullPolicy: Always
 
+  # lifecycle is used if you want to specify lifecycle hooks for the master container
+  lifecycle: {}
+
   # priorityClassName indicates the importance of a Pod relative to other Pods
   # See: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/pod-priority-preemption/
   priorityClassName: ""
diff --git a/controllers/jenkins_controller.go b/controllers/jenkins_controller.go
index 7eb92454..8569b6f2 100644
--- a/controllers/jenkins_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/jenkins_controller.go
@@ -378,6 +378,11 @@ func (r *JenkinsReconciler) setDefaults(jenkins *v1alpha2.Jenkins) (requeue bool
 		changed = true
 		jenkinsContainer.LivenessProbe = resources.NewProbe(containerProbeURI, containerProbePortName, corev1.URISchemeHTTP, 80, 5, 12)
 	}
+	if jenkinsContainer.Lifecycle == nil {
+		logger.Info("Setting default Jenkins lifecycle")
+		changed = true
+		jenkinsContainer.Lifecycle = &corev1.Lifecycle{}
+	}
 	if len(jenkinsContainer.Command) == 0 {
 		logger.Info("Setting default Jenkins container command")
 		changed = true
diff --git a/pkg/configuration/base/resources/pod.go b/pkg/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
index 783ccaa2..e46eb533 100644
--- a/pkg/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ func NewJenkinsMasterContainer(jenkins *v1alpha2.Jenkins) corev1.Container {
 		Image:           jenkinsContainer.Image,
 		ImagePullPolicy: jenkinsContainer.ImagePullPolicy,
 		Command:         jenkinsContainer.Command,
+		Lifecycle:       jenkinsContainer.Lifecycle,
 		LivenessProbe:   jenkinsContainer.LivenessProbe,
 		ReadinessProbe:  jenkinsContainer.ReadinessProbe,
 		Ports: []corev1.ContainerPort{