diff --git a/control-plane/roles/gardener/README.md b/control-plane/roles/gardener/README.md
index a71bc779c..cfe77146d 100644
--- a/control-plane/roles/gardener/README.md
+++ b/control-plane/roles/gardener/README.md
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ This includes the metal-stack extension provider called [gardener-extension-prov
 | gardener_extension_provider_metal_image_pull_policy          |           | Sets the image pull policy for components deployed through this extension controller.                                                       |
 | gardener_extension_provider_metal_image_pull_secret          |           | Provide image pull secrets for deployed containers                                                                                          |
 | gardener_cert_management_issuer_private_key                  |           | The Let's Encrypt private key used by the cert-management extension controller to setup signed certificates                                 |
+| gardener_extension_networking_cilium_image_vector_overwrite  |           | Allows overriding the image vector for the networking cilium extension                                                                      |
 | gardener_cert_management_issuer_email                        |           | The issuer email used by the cert-management extension                                                                                      |
 | gardener_cert_management_issuer_server                       |           | The issuer server used by the cert-management extension                                                                                     |
 
diff --git a/control-plane/roles/gardener/defaults/main/extensions.yaml b/control-plane/roles/gardener/defaults/main/extensions.yaml
index 02d915e9b..8c87eeac3 100644
--- a/control-plane/roles/gardener/defaults/main/extensions.yaml
+++ b/control-plane/roles/gardener/defaults/main/extensions.yaml
@@ -69,3 +69,9 @@ gardener_cert_management_issuer_server: https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/dir
 gardener_cert_management_issuer_email:
 
 gardener_extension_dns_external_controller_registration_url:
+
+gardener_extension_networking_cilium_image_vector_overwrite: []
+  # - name: <image-name>
+  #   sourceRepository: /source/repository
+  #   repository: /repository
+  #   tag: <tag>
diff --git a/control-plane/roles/gardener/templates/networking-cilium/controller-deployment.yaml b/control-plane/roles/gardener/templates/networking-cilium/controller-deployment.yaml
index fdf027223..0e832f650 100644
--- a/control-plane/roles/gardener/templates/networking-cilium/controller-deployment.yaml
+++ b/control-plane/roles/gardener/templates/networking-cilium/controller-deployment.yaml
@@ -11,21 +11,8 @@ providerConfig:
       repository: "{{ gardener_networking_cilium_image_name }}"
       tag: "{{ gardener_networking_cilium_image_tag }}"
       pullPolicy: Always
+{% if gardener_extension_networking_cilium_image_vector_overwrite %}
     imageVectorOverwrite: |
       images:
-        - name: cilium-agent
-          sourceRepository: github.com/cilium/cilium
-          repository: quay.io/cilium/cilium
-          tag: v1.12.1
-        - name: cilium-preflight
-          sourceRepository: github.com/cilium/cilium
-          repository: quay.io/cilium/cilium
-          tag: v1.12.1
-        - name: cilium-operator
-          sourceRepository: github.com/cilium/cilium
-          repository: quay.io/cilium/operator
-          tag: v1.12.1
-        - name: hubble-relay
-          sourceRepository: github.com/cilium/hubble-ui
-          repository: quay.io/cilium/hubble-relay
-          tag: v1.12.1
+        {{ gardener_extension_networking_cilium_image_vector_overwrite | to_nice_yaml(indent=2) | indent(width=8, first=false) }}
+{% endif %}
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