diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index cf48d2a008c..5f047db8a0e 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -426,7 +426,9 @@ func setupControllers(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.Manager, tracker *readiness.
 	if *externaldata.ExternalDataEnabled {
 		providerCache = frameworksexternaldata.NewCache()
 		args = append(args, rego.AddExternalDataProviderCache(providerCache))
-		mutationOpts.ProviderCache = providerCache
+		if mutation.Enabled() {
+			mutationOpts.ProviderCache = providerCache
+		}
 
 		switch {
 		case *externaldataProviderResponseCacheTTL > 0:
@@ -460,7 +462,9 @@ func setupControllers(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.Manager, tracker *readiness.
 		args = append(args, rego.EnableExternalDataClientAuth(), rego.AddExternalDataClientCertWatcher(certWatcher))
 
 		// register the client cert watcher to the mutation system
-		mutationOpts.ClientCertWatcher = certWatcher
+		if mutation.Enabled() {
+			mutationOpts.ClientCertWatcher = certWatcher
+		}
 	}
 
 	cfArgs := []constraintclient.Opt{constraintclient.Targets(&target.K8sValidationTarget{})}
@@ -508,7 +512,7 @@ func setupControllers(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.Manager, tracker *readiness.
 		}
 	}
 
-	mutationSystem := mutation.NewSystem(mutationOpts)
+	mutationSystem := newMutationSystem(mutationOpts)
 	expansionSystem := expansion.NewSystem(mutationSystem)
 	exportSystem := export.NewSystem()
 
@@ -644,6 +648,17 @@ func setupControllers(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.Manager, tracker *readiness.
 	return nil
 }
 
+// newMutationSystem constructs the mutation system only when a mutation
+// operation is assigned, so non-mutation processes do not carry an unused
+// mutation system. expansion.System accepts a nil mutation system and skips
+// applying mutators in that case.
+func newMutationSystem(opts mutation.SystemOpts) *mutation.System {
+	if !mutation.Enabled() {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return mutation.NewSystem(opts)
+}
+
 func setLoggerForProduction(encoder zapcore.LevelEncoder, dest io.Writer) {
 	sink := zapcore.AddSync(os.Stderr)
 	if dest != nil {
diff --git a/main_test.go b/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..94673c307a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/open-policy-agent/gatekeeper/v3/pkg/mutation"
+)
+
+// TestNewMutationSystem exercises the operation-dependent construction of
+// the mutation system. The --operation flag can only accumulate values
+// within a process, so the mutation-disabled case runs before the
+// mutation-enabled cases.
+func TestNewMutationSystem(t *testing.T) {
+	// Non-mutation operation set: no mutation system is constructed.
+	if err := flag.Set("operation", "audit"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("setting operation flag: %v", err)
+	}
+	if mutation.Enabled() {
+		t.Fatalf("expected mutation to be disabled for audit-only operations")
+	}
+	if system := newMutationSystem(mutation.SystemOpts{}); system != nil {
+		t.Errorf("newMutationSystem() = %v, want nil when no mutation operation is assigned", system)
+	}
+
+	// Adding a mutation operation constructs a real system.
+	if err := flag.Set("operation", "mutation-controller"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("setting operation flag: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !mutation.Enabled() {
+		t.Fatalf("expected mutation to be enabled once a mutation operation is assigned")
+	}
+	if system := newMutationSystem(mutation.SystemOpts{}); system == nil {
+		t.Error("newMutationSystem() = nil, want a system when a mutation operation is assigned")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/mutators/instances/mutator_controllers.go b/pkg/controller/mutators/instances/mutator_controllers.go
index 12b2cc433a4..c7e57864ac6 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/mutators/instances/mutator_controllers.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/mutators/instances/mutator_controllers.go
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ func routeConflictEvents(ctx context.Context, events <-chan event.GenericEvent,
 
 // Add creates all mutation controllers and adds them to the manager.
 func (a *Adder) Add(mgr manager.Manager) error {
+	if !mutation.Enabled() {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	// events is shared across all mutators that can affect the implied schema
 	// of kinds to be mutated, since these mutators can set each other into conflict
 	events := make(chan event.GenericEvent, eventQueueSize)
diff --git a/pkg/controller/mutators/instances/mutator_controllers_test.go b/pkg/controller/mutators/instances/mutator_controllers_test.go
index 896ad1f1a46..1d36fe763a6 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/mutators/instances/mutator_controllers_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/mutators/instances/mutator_controllers_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package instances
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"flag"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -142,3 +143,19 @@ func awaitCondition(t *testing.T, cond func() bool, message string) {
 
 	t.Fatal(message)
 }
+
+func TestAddSkipsSetupWhenMutationDisabled(t *testing.T) {
+	// Restrict this process to a non-mutation operation. The operation set
+	// is process-global and only accumulates via the flag, so this test
+	// must not run in parallel with operation-dependent tests.
+	if err := flag.Set("operation", "audit"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("setting operation flag: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// When mutation is disabled Add must return before touching the manager,
+	// registering the conflict-routing runnable, or building any channels.
+	a := &Adder{}
+	if err := a.Add(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Add() with mutation disabled = %v, want nil", err)
+	}
+}