diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index f6305b15132..33d7ac791a0 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ linters-settings:
         alias: $1$2
       - pkg: github.com/openshift/api/(\w+)/(v[\w\d]+)
         alias: $1$2
+  ireturn:
+    allow:
+      # defaults https://golangci-lint.run/usage/linters/#ireturn
+      - anon
+      - error
+      - empty
+      - stdlib
+      # also allow generics
+      - generic
   revive:
     rules:
       - name: dot-imports
diff --git a/controllers/status/reporter.go b/controllers/status/reporter.go
index e5b3679ff32..de9dbe7e6fc 100644
--- a/controllers/status/reporter.go
+++ b/controllers/status/reporter.go
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-//nolint:ireturn //reason: return T which is expected to be satisfying client.Object interface
 package status
 
 import (
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/addLabelsplugin.go b/pkg/plugins/addLabelsplugin.go
index 573a19f2ad2..5991c157d4c 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/addLabelsplugin.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/addLabelsplugin.go
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ import (
 //   - It adds labels to the "metadata/labels" path for all resource kinds.
 //   - It adds labels to the "spec/template/metadata/labels" and "spec/selector/matchLabels" paths
 //     for resources of kind "Deployment".
-func CreateAddLabelsPlugin(componentName string) builtins.LabelTransformerPlugin {
-	return builtins.LabelTransformerPlugin{
+func CreateAddLabelsPlugin(componentName string) *builtins.LabelTransformerPlugin {
+	return &builtins.LabelTransformerPlugin{
 		Labels: map[string]string{
 			labels.ODH.Component(componentName): "true",
 			labels.K8SCommon.PartOf:             componentName,
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/namespacePlugin.go b/pkg/plugins/namespacePlugin.go
index 7060b6330c4..5204fdaa892 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/namespacePlugin.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/namespacePlugin.go
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 // CreateNamespaceApplierPlugin creates a plugin to ensure resources have the specified target namespace.
-func CreateNamespaceApplierPlugin(targetNamespace string) builtins.NamespaceTransformerPlugin {
-	return builtins.NamespaceTransformerPlugin{
+func CreateNamespaceApplierPlugin(targetNamespace string) *builtins.NamespaceTransformerPlugin {
+	return &builtins.NamespaceTransformerPlugin{
 		ObjectMeta: types.ObjectMeta{
 			Name:      "odh-namespace-plugin",
 			Namespace: targetNamespace,