diff --git a/support/controlplane-component/defaults_test.go b/support/controlplane-component/defaults_test.go
index e02e29e730f1..4be8663b1b31 100644
--- a/support/controlplane-component/defaults_test.go
+++ b/support/controlplane-component/defaults_test.go
@@ -523,9 +523,15 @@ func TestApplyNonOvercommitableResourceLimits(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestSetDefaultOptions(t *testing.T) {
 	scheme := runtime.NewScheme()
-	_ = hyperv1.AddToScheme(scheme)
-	_ = corev1.AddToScheme(scheme)
-	_ = appsv1.AddToScheme(scheme)
+	if err := hyperv1.AddToScheme(scheme); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to add hyperv1 to scheme: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := corev1.AddToScheme(scheme); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to add corev1 to scheme: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := appsv1.AddToScheme(scheme); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to add appsv1 to scheme: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	t.Run("When SetDefaultSecurityContext is true it should set RunAsUser and FSGroup", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
@@ -649,4 +655,62 @@ func TestSetDefaultOptions(t *testing.T) {
 			g.Expect(deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Resources).To(Equal(test.expectedResources))
 		})
 	}
+
+	annotationTests := []struct {
+		name           string
+		hcpAnnotations map[string]string
+		expectSet      bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "When HCP has RestartDateAnnotation it should propagate it to the pod template",
+			hcpAnnotations: map[string]string{
+				hyperv1.RestartDateAnnotation: "2024-01-15T12:00:00Z",
+			},
+			expectSet: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "When HCP has no RestartDateAnnotation it should not set it on the pod template",
+			expectSet: false,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range annotationTests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			g := NewGomegaWithT(t)
+
+			workload := &controlPlaneWorkload[*appsv1.Deployment]{
+				name:             "kube-apiserver",
+				workloadProvider: &deploymentProvider{},
+				ComponentOptions: &testComponent{},
+			}
+			deployment := &appsv1.Deployment{
+				Spec: appsv1.DeploymentSpec{
+					Template: corev1.PodTemplateSpec{
+						Spec: corev1.PodSpec{
+							Containers: []corev1.Container{
+								{Name: "kube-apiserver", Image: "hyperkube"},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			}
+			hcp := &hyperv1.HostedControlPlane{}
+			hcp.Annotations = test.hcpAnnotations
+
+			err := workload.setDefaultOptions(ControlPlaneContext{
+				HCP:                  hcp,
+				Client:               fake.NewClientBuilder().WithScheme(scheme).Build(),
+				ReleaseImageProvider: releaseProvider,
+			}, deployment, nil)
+			g.Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+			if test.expectSet {
+				g.Expect(deployment.Spec.Template.Annotations).To(HaveKeyWithValue(
+					hyperv1.RestartDateAnnotation, test.hcpAnnotations[hyperv1.RestartDateAnnotation]))
+			} else {
+				g.Expect(deployment.Spec.Template.Annotations).NotTo(HaveKey(hyperv1.RestartDateAnnotation))
+			}
+		})
+	}
 }