diff --git a/.ci/jobs/e2e-custom.yml b/.ci/jobs/e2e-custom.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..146f5c1b17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/jobs/e2e-custom.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+---
+- job:
+    description: Job that runs e2e tests against custom ECK image running in a dedicated k8s cluster in GKE. This Job is managed by JJB.
+    logrotate:
+      daysToKeep: 7
+      numToKeep: 100
+      artifactDaysToKeep: 5
+      artifactNumToKeep: 10
+    name: cloud-on-k8s-e2e-tests-custom
+    project-type: pipeline
+    parameters:
+      - string:
+          name: IMAGE
+          description: "Docker image with ECK"
+      - string:
+          name: VERSION
+          default: 1.12
+          description: "Kubernetes version, default is 1.12"
+    concurrent: true
+    pipeline-scm:
+      scm:
+        - git:
+            url: https://github.com/elastic/cloud-on-k8s
+            branches:
+              - master
+            credentials-id: 'f6c7695a-671e-4f4f-a331-acdce44ff9ba'
+      script-path: build/ci/e2e/custom_operator_image.jenkinsfile
+      lightweight-checkout: true
+    wrappers:
+      - ansicolor
diff --git a/build/ci/Makefile b/build/ci/Makefile
index a0ec04ea30..c30f5d378b 100644
--- a/build/ci/Makefile
+++ b/build/ci/Makefile
@@ -130,7 +130,26 @@ ci-e2e: vault-gke-creds
 		-e "TESTS_MATCH=$(TESTS_MATCH)" \
 		-e "GKE_CLUSTER_VERSION=$(GKE_CLUSTER_VERSION)" \
 		cloud-on-k8s-ci-e2e \
-		bash -c "make -C operators ci-e2e GKE_MACHINE_TYPE=n1-standard-8"
+		bash -c "make -C operators ci-e2e"
+
+# Run e2e tests in GKE against provided ECK image
+ci-e2e-rc: vault-gke-creds
+	docker build -f Dockerfile -t cloud-on-k8s-ci-e2e .
+	docker run --rm -t \
+		-v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
+		-v $(ROOT_DIR):$(GO_MOUNT_PATH) \
+		-w $(GO_MOUNT_PATH) \
+		-e "IMG_SUFFIX=-ci" \
+		-e "GCLOUD_PROJECT=$(GCLOUD_PROJECT)" \
+		-e "REGISTRY=$(REGISTRY)" \
+		-e "REPOSITORY=$(GCLOUD_PROJECT)" \
+		-e "GKE_CLUSTER_NAME=$(GKE_CLUSTER_NAME)" \
+		-e "GKE_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_KEY_FILE=$(GO_MOUNT_PATH)/build/ci/$(GKE_CREDS_FILE)" \
+		-e "TESTS_MATCH=$(TESTS_MATCH)" \
+		-e "GKE_CLUSTER_VERSION=$(GKE_CLUSTER_VERSION)" \
+		-e "OPERATOR_IMAGE=$(OPERATOR_IMAGE)" \
+		cloud-on-k8s-ci-e2e \
+		bash -c "make -C operators ci-e2e-rc"
 
 # Remove k8s cluster
 ci-e2e-delete-cluster: vault-gke-creds
diff --git a/build/ci/e2e/custom_operator_image.jenkinsfile b/build/ci/e2e/custom_operator_image.jenkinsfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7bbfe0af60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/ci/e2e/custom_operator_image.jenkinsfile
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+pipeline {
+
+    agent {
+        label 'linux'
+    }
+
+    options {
+        timeout(time: 150, unit: 'MINUTES')
+    }
+
+    environment {
+        VAULT_ADDR = credentials('vault-addr')
+        VAULT_ROLE_ID = credentials('vault-role-id')
+        VAULT_SECRET_ID = credentials('vault-secret-id')
+        REGISTRY = "eu.gcr.io"
+        GCLOUD_PROJECT = credentials('k8s-operators-gcloud-project')
+        GKE_CLUSTER_VERSION = "${VERSION}"
+        GKE_CLUSTER_NAME = "${BUILD_TAG}"
+        OPERATOR_IMAGE = "${IMAGE}"
+        LATEST_RELEASED_IMG = "${IMAGE}"
+    }
+
+    stages {
+        stage('Checkout from GitHub') {
+            steps {
+                checkout scm
+            }
+        }
+        stage("Run E2E tests") {
+            steps {
+                sh 'make -C build/ci ci-e2e-rc'
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    post {
+        unsuccessful {
+            script {
+                def msg = "E2E tests failed!\r\n" + env.BUILD_URL
+                slackSend botUser: true,
+                      channel: '#cloud-k8s',
+                      color: 'danger',
+                      message: msg,
+                      tokenCredentialId: 'cloud-ci-slack-integration-token'
+            }
+        }
+        cleanup {
+            sh 'make -C build/ci ci-e2e-delete-cluster'
+            cleanWs()
+        }
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/operators/Makefile b/operators/Makefile
index 50ec5fcc09..9dd1587672 100644
--- a/operators/Makefile
+++ b/operators/Makefile
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ GO_LDFLAGS := -X github.com/elastic/cloud-on-k8s/operators/pkg/about.version=$(V
 	-X github.com/elastic/cloud-on-k8s/operators/pkg/about.buildDate=$(shell date -u +'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ') \
 	-X github.com/elastic/cloud-on-k8s/operators/pkg/about.buildSnapshot=$(SNAPSHOT)
 
+# Setting for CI, if set to true will prevent building and using local Docker image
+SKIP_DOCKER_COMMAND ?= false
+
 ## -- Namespaces
 
 # namespace in which the global operator is deployed (see config/global-operator)
@@ -146,7 +149,11 @@ endif
 endif
 
 # Deploy both the global and namespace operators against the current k8s cluster
-deploy: check-gke install-crds docker-build docker-push apply-operators
+deploy: check-gke install-crds
+ifeq ($(SKIP_DOCKER_COMMAND), false)
+	$(MAKE) docker-build docker-push
+endif
+	$(MAKE) apply-operators
 
 apply-operators:
 	OPERATOR_IMAGE=$(OPERATOR_IMAGE) \
@@ -235,8 +242,10 @@ bootstrap-gke: require-gcloud-project
 ifeq ($(PSP), 1)
 	kubectl apply -f config/dev/elastic-psp.yaml
 endif
+ifeq ($(SKIP_DOCKER_COMMAND), false)
 	# push "latest" operator image to be used for init containers when running the operator locally
 	$(MAKE) docker-build docker-push OPERATOR_IMAGE=$(OPERATOR_IMAGE_LATEST)
+endif
 
 delete-gke: require-gcloud-project
 	GKE_CLUSTER_VERSION=$(GKE_CLUSTER_VERSION) ./hack/gke-cluster.sh delete
@@ -341,6 +350,10 @@ ci: dep-vendor-only check-fmt generate check-local-changes unit integration e2e-
 # Let's use n1-standard-8 machine to have enough room for multiple pods on a single node.
 ci-e2e: ci-bootstrap-gke e2e
 
+# Run e2e tests in gke using custom operator image
+ci-e2e-rc: export SKIP_DOCKER_COMMAND=true
+ci-e2e-rc: ci-bootstrap-gke e2e
+
 ci-bootstrap-gke:
 	PSP=1 GKE_MACHINE_TYPE=n1-standard-8 $(MAKE) bootstrap-gke