diff --git a/tests/model_serving/model_server/operator/__init__.py b/tests/model_serving/model_server/operator/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/model_serving/model_server/operator/test_operator.py b/tests/model_serving/model_server/operator/test_operator.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6d1fbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/model_serving/model_server/operator/test_operator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import pytest
+from kubernetes.dynamic import DynamicClient
+from ocp_resources.deployment import Deployment
+from ocp_resources.exceptions import MissingResourceResError
+
+from utilities.constants import APPLICATIONS_NAMESPACE
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="class")
+def odh_model_controller_deployment(admin_client: DynamicClient):
+    deployment = Deployment(
+        client=admin_client,
+        name="odh-model-controller",
+        namespace=APPLICATIONS_NAMESPACE,
+    )
+    if deployment.exists:
+        return deployment
+
+    raise MissingResourceResError(name=deployment.name)
+
+
+class TestOperator:
+    @pytest.mark.smoke
+    def test_odh_model_controller_deployment(self, odh_model_controller_deployment):
+        # Check odh-model-controller deployment expected number of replicas
+        assert odh_model_controller_deployment.instance.spec.replicas == 1
+
+    @pytest.mark.smoke
+    def test_odh_model_controller_replicas(self, odh_model_controller_deployment):
+        # Check odh-model-controller deployment replicas are running
+        odh_model_controller_deployment.wait_for_replicas()
diff --git a/utilities/constants.py b/utilities/constants.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b2662e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utilities/constants.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+APPLICATIONS_NAMESPACE: str = "redhat-ods-applications"
diff --git a/utilities/serving_runtime.py b/utilities/serving_runtime.py
index 0aec586..b9776e7 100644
--- a/utilities/serving_runtime.py
+++ b/utilities/serving_runtime.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 from ocp_resources.serving_runtime import ServingRuntime
 from ocp_resources.template import Template
 
+from utilities.constants import APPLICATIONS_NAMESPACE
+
 
 class ServingRuntimeFromTemplate(ServingRuntime):
     def __init__(self, client: DynamicClient, name: str, namespace: str, template_name: str):
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ def get_model_template(self) -> Template:
         template = Template(
             client=self.client,
             name=self.template_name,
-            namespace="redhat-ods-applications",
+            namespace=APPLICATIONS_NAMESPACE,
         )
         if template.exists:
             return template