diff --git a/.github/workflows/actions.yaml b/.github/workflows/actions.yaml
index d2d18bbc..09009e4f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/actions.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/actions.yaml
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./actions/kubeconform
       - name: Setup envtest
         uses: ./actions/envtest
+        with:
+          version: c7e1dc9b5302d649d5531e19168dd7ea0013736d # remove this when https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/controller-runtime/issues/2720 is fixed
       - name: Setup helm
         uses: ./actions/helm
       - name: Setup kubectl
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 54b1e37a..966d667c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ install-envtest: setup-envtest
 ENVTEST = $(GOBIN)/setup-envtest
 .PHONY: envtest
 setup-envtest: ## Download envtest-setup locally if necessary.
-	$(call go-install-tool,$(ENVTEST),sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/tools/setup-envtest@latest)
+	# replace the commit SHA with 'latest' when https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/controller-runtime/issues/2720 is fixed
+	$(call go-install-tool,$(ENVTEST),sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/tools/setup-envtest@c7e1dc9b5302d649d5531e19168dd7ea0013736d)
 
 # go-install-tool will 'go install' any package $2 and install it to $1.
 PROJECT_DIR := $(shell dirname $(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))
diff --git a/actions/envtest/action.yml b/actions/envtest/action.yml
index 7bb428b0..431e8020 100644
--- a/actions/envtest/action.yml
+++ b/actions/envtest/action.yml
@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@ branding:
   color: blue
   icon: command
 inputs:
-  version:
-    description: Strict SemVer or version range of the envtest binaries to install. Defaults to the latest release.
+  k8s_version:
+    description: Strict SemVer or version range of the envtest Kubernetes binaries to install. Defaults to the latest release.
+    required: true
+    default: latest
+  envtest_version:
+    description: verion of envtest to install. Can be a tag or a commit SHA. Defaults to latest.
     required: true
     default: latest
 runs:
@@ -17,7 +21,13 @@ runs:
       with:
         go-version: 1.20.x
         cache: false
-    - name: Download the binary to the runner's cache dir
+    - name: Use specified version to install
+      if: inputs.envtest_version != ''
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        echo "VERSION=${{ inputs.version }}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+    - name: Determine version to install
+      if: inputs.envtest_version == ''
       shell: bash
       run: |
         VERSION=$(curl -fsSL -H "Authorization: token ${{github.token}}" "https://api.github.com/repos/kubernetes-sigs/controller-runtime/commits?path=tools/setup-envtest&page=1&per_page=1" | grep sha | head -n1 | cut -d '"' -f 4)
@@ -25,7 +35,10 @@ runs:
           echo "Unable to determine latest setup-envtest version"
           exit 1
         fi
-
+        echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+    - name: Download the binary to the runner's cache dir
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
         OS=$(echo "${RUNNER_OS}" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
         ARCH=$(echo "${RUNNER_ARCH}" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
 
@@ -53,17 +66,16 @@ runs:
     - name: Install the specified version of envtest
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        VERSION=${{ inputs.version }}
-        if [[ -z "$VERSION" ]]; then
-          VERSION="latest"
+        K8S_VERSION=${{ inputs.k8s_version }}
+        if [[ -z "$K8S_VERSION" ]]; then
+          K8S_VERSION="latest"
         fi
-
         # Install the assets for the specified version of Kubernetes.
         ENVTEST_TOOL_DIR="${RUNNER_TOOL_CACHE}/envtest"
-        echo "Installing envtest assets for Kubernetes $VERSION"
-        setup-envtest use --bin-dir "$ENVTEST_TOOL_DIR" "$VERSION"
+        echo "Installing envtest assets for Kubernetes $K8S_VERSION"
+        setup-envtest use --bin-dir "$ENVTEST_TOOL_DIR" "$K8S_VERSION"
 
         # Export the path to the KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS environment variable.
         echo "Exporting KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS"
-        ENVTEST_ASSETS_PATH=$(setup-envtest use --bin-dir "$ENVTEST_TOOL_DIR" -i "$VERSION" -p path)
+        ENVTEST_ASSETS_PATH=$(setup-envtest use --bin-dir "$ENVTEST_TOOL_DIR" -i "$K8S_VERSION" -p path)
         echo "KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS='$ENVTEST_ASSETS_PATH'" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"