diff --git a/deployment/network-operator/templates/_helpers.tpl b/deployment/network-operator/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 198e47ad3..221c93221 100644
--- a/deployment/network-operator/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/deployment/network-operator/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -67,20 +67,24 @@ app.kubernetes.io/instance: {{ .Release.Name }}
 {{- end }}
 
 {{/*
-imagePullSecrets helpers
+imagePullSecrets helper - supports global.imagePullSecrets, operator.imagePullSecrets and root imagePullSecrets fallback
 */}}
-{{- define "network-operator.operator.imagePullSecrets" }}
-{{- $imagePullSecrets := list }}
-{{- if .Values.operator.imagePullSecrets }}
-{{- range .Values.operator.imagePullSecrets }}
-{{- $imagePullSecrets  = append $imagePullSecrets  (dict "name" . ) }}
-{{- end }}
-{{- else }}
-{{- if .Values.imagePullSecrets }}
-{{- range .Values.imagePullSecrets }}
-{{- $imagePullSecrets  = append $imagePullSecrets  (dict "name" . ) }}
-{{- end }}
-{{- end }}
-{{- end }}
+{{- define "network-operator.operator.imagePullSecrets" -}}
+{{- $imagePullSecrets := list -}}
+{{- if .Values.operator.imagePullSecrets -}}
+  {{- range .Values.operator.imagePullSecrets -}}
+    {{- $imagePullSecrets = append $imagePullSecrets (dict "name" .) -}}
+  {{- end -}}
+{{- else if .Values.imagePullSecrets -}}
+  {{- range .Values.imagePullSecrets -}}
+    {{- $imagePullSecrets = append $imagePullSecrets (dict "name" .) -}}
+  {{- end -}}
+{{- else if .Values.global.imagePullSecrets -}}
+  {{- range .Values.global.imagePullSecrets -}}
+    {{- $imagePullSecrets = append $imagePullSecrets (dict "name" .) -}}
+  {{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- if $imagePullSecrets -}}
 {{- $imagePullSecrets | toJson }}
-{{- end }}
\ No newline at end of file
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
diff --git a/deployment/network-operator/values.yaml b/deployment/network-operator/values.yaml
index 907324324..f1f1a8bd8 100644
--- a/deployment/network-operator/values.yaml
+++ b/deployment/network-operator/values.yaml
@@ -320,8 +320,13 @@ operator:
 
 # -- An optional list of references to secrets to use for pulling any of the
 # Network Operator images.
+# Kept for backward compatibility.
 imagePullSecrets: []
 
+# -- Global values to be propagated into Network-Operator sub-charts
+global:
+  imagePullSecrets: []
+
 # @ignore
 test:
   pf: ens2f0
diff --git a/hack/templates/values/values.template b/hack/templates/values/values.template
index 3cb112e0f..986f90192 100644
--- a/hack/templates/values/values.template
+++ b/hack/templates/values/values.template
@@ -320,8 +320,13 @@ operator:
 
 # -- An optional list of references to secrets to use for pulling any of the
 # Network Operator images.
+# Kept for backward compatibility.
 imagePullSecrets: []
 
+# -- Global values to be propagated into Network-Operator sub-charts
+global:
+  imagePullSecrets: []
+
 # @ignore
 test:
   pf: ens2f0