diff --git a/pkg/controller/jenkins/configuration/base/resources/pod.go b/pkg/controller/jenkins/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
index 0f5f2133..80538fd2 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/jenkins/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/jenkins/configuration/base/resources/pod.go
@@ -29,11 +29,6 @@ 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"
@@ -65,10 +60,6 @@ func GetJenkinsMasterContainerBaseCommand() []string {
 // GetJenkinsMasterContainerBaseEnvs returns Jenkins master pod envs required by operator
 func GetJenkinsMasterContainerBaseEnvs(jenkins *v1alpha2.Jenkins) []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"),
@@ -183,11 +174,6 @@ 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 8c6b93cb..c9e5b884 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/jenkins/jenkins_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/jenkins/jenkins_controller.go
@@ -496,32 +496,12 @@ 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 {