diff --git a/argocd-operator/controllers/argocd/image_updater.go b/argocd-operator/controllers/argocd/image_updater.go
index 391cbf42f0f..89883d6da86 100644
--- a/argocd-operator/controllers/argocd/image_updater.go
+++ b/argocd-operator/controllers/argocd/image_updater.go
@@ -718,8 +718,11 @@ func (r *ReconcileArgoCD) reconcileImageUpdaterDeployment(cr *argoproj.ArgoCD, s
 	imageUpdaterTLSProfileArguments := BuildTLSArgsFromClusterTLSProfile(r.CentralTLSConfigProfile)
 	args = append(args, imageUpdaterTLSProfileArguments...)
 
+	// Command is intentionally not set so that the image's own ENTRYPOINT applies.
+	// The image updater image runs the manager under tini ("tini -- /manager"), which
+	// reaps the git child processes the manager forks. Overriding Command with "/manager"
+	// would make the manager PID 1 and leak zombie git processes (GITOPS-11648).
 	podSpec.Containers = []corev1.Container{{
-		Command:         []string{"/manager"},
 		Args:            args,
 		Image:           selectImageUpdaterImage(cr),
 		ImagePullPolicy: argoutil.GetImagePullPolicy(cr.Spec.ImagePullPolicy),
diff --git a/argocd-operator/controllers/argocd/image_updater_test.go b/argocd-operator/controllers/argocd/image_updater_test.go
index 5bf50c66c25..02018771303 100644
--- a/argocd-operator/controllers/argocd/image_updater_test.go
+++ b/argocd-operator/controllers/argocd/image_updater_test.go
@@ -270,8 +270,9 @@ func TestReconcileImageUpdater_CreateDeployments(t *testing.T) {
 	// Ensure the created Deployment has the expected properties
 	assert.Equal(t, deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName, sa.Name)
 
+	// No Command is expected: the container must inherit the image ENTRYPOINT so that
+	// tini stays PID 1 and reaps git child processes (GITOPS-11648).
 	want := []v1.Container{{
-		Command:         []string{"/manager"},
 		Args:            []string{"run"},
 		Image:           argoutil.CombineImageTag(DefaultImageUpdaterImage, DefaultImageUpdaterTag),
 		ImagePullPolicy: v1.PullIfNotPresent,