diff --git a/operator/crd/crd.yaml b/operator/crd/crd.yaml
index 507ec46..2938859 100644
--- a/operator/crd/crd.yaml
+++ b/operator/crd/crd.yaml
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ spec:
                   type: object
                   additionalProperties:
                     type: string
+                image:
+                  description: "Container image to use for this IntegrationRoute. Overrides the cluster-wide default integration image set in the controller configuration."
+                  type: string
                 routeConfigMap:
                   description: "Name of a ConfigMap containing integration route definitions. The ConfigMap should be in the same namespace as the IntegrationRoute resource"
                   type: string
diff --git a/webapp/core/sync.py b/webapp/core/sync.py
index 82c7a9e..6073a0a 100644
--- a/webapp/core/sync.py
+++ b/webapp/core/sync.py
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ def _new_deployment(parent):
             },
             "replicas": parent["spec"]["replicas"],
             "template": _create_pod_template(
-                parent, labels, cfg.INTEGRATION_CONTAINER_IMAGE
+                parent, labels, parent["spec"].get("image", cfg.INTEGRATION_CONTAINER_IMAGE)
             ),
         },
     }
diff --git a/webapp/core/test/test_sync.py b/webapp/core/test/test_sync.py
index a208b5c..8932524 100644
--- a/webapp/core/test/test_sync.py
+++ b/webapp/core/test/test_sync.py
@@ -603,3 +603,29 @@ def check_volume_mounts_absent(deployment: Mapping, name: str):
 def get_container(deployment: Mapping) -> Mapping:
     pod_template = deployment["spec"]["template"]
     return pod_template["spec"]["containers"][0]
+
+
+def test_per_route_image_override(full_route):
+    """When spec.image is set, the deployment should use that image instead of the default."""
+    custom_image = "registry.example.com/my-app:1.0"
+    full_route["parent"]["spec"]["image"] = custom_image
+
+    result = sync(full_route)
+
+    deployment = result["children"][0]
+    container = deployment["spec"]["template"]["spec"]["containers"][0]
+    assert container["image"] == custom_image
+
+
+def test_per_route_image_default_when_absent(full_route):
+    """When spec.image is not set, the deployment should use the global default."""
+    # Ensure no image field
+    full_route["parent"]["spec"].pop("image", None)
+
+    result = sync(full_route)
+
+    deployment = result["children"][0]
+    container = deployment["spec"]["template"]["spec"]["containers"][0]
+    # Should use the default from config (INTEGRATION_CONTAINER_IMAGE)
+    import config as cfg
+    assert container["image"] == cfg.INTEGRATION_CONTAINER_IMAGE