@@ -101,6 +101,24 @@ See also
 the [integration test](https://github.com/operator-framework/java-operator-sdk/tree/main/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/changenamespace)
 for this feature.
 
+## Keeping the JVM Alive
+
+The operator normally keeps the JVM running through the non-daemon threads of its thread pools. If
+nothing else does, for example because all the threads of the operator are daemon threads as it is
+the case with virtual threads, the JVM exits as soon as the `main` method returns after starting
+the operator. Call `Operator.keepAlive()` to have a non-daemon thread keep the JVM running until the
+operator is stopped:
+
+```java
+public static void main(String[] args) {
+    Operator operator = new Operator();
+    operator.register(new MyReconciler());
+    operator.installShutdownHook();
+    operator.start();
+    operator.keepAlive();
+}
+```
+
 ## DependentResource-level configuration
 
 It is possible to define custom annotations to configure custom `DependentResource` implementations. In order to provide
 
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
+import java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport;
 import java.util.function.Consumer;
 
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ public class Operator implements LifecycleAware {
   private ConfigurationService configurationService;
   private volatile boolean started = false;
   private final AtomicBoolean shutdownHookInstalled = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+  private final AtomicReference<Thread> keepAliveThread = new AtomicReference<>();
 
   public Operator() {
     init(initConfigurationService(null, null), true);
@@ -175,6 +178,38 @@ public void installShutdownHook(Duration gracefulShutdownTimeout) {
     installShutdownHook();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Keeps the JVM running until this operator is stopped, by starting a non-daemon thread that does
+   * nothing but wait. This is useful when the {@code main} method of the application returns after
+   * starting the operator and nothing else keeps the JVM alive, for example when the threads of the
+   * operator are all daemon threads, as is the case with virtual threads.
+   *
+   * <p>It can be called before or after {@link #start()}, and calling it again while the thread is
+   * already running has no effect. The thread ends when {@link #stop()} is called, so the operator
+   * can be stopped from a shutdown hook, see {@link #installShutdownHook()}.
+   */
+  public void keepAlive() {
+    var thread =
+        new Thread(
+            () -> {
+              while (!Thread.currentThread().isInterrupted()) {
+                LockSupport.park();
+              }
+            },
+            "josdk-keep-alive");
+    thread.setDaemon(false);
+    if (keepAliveThread.compareAndSet(null, thread)) {
+      thread.start();
+    }
+  }
+
+  private void stopKeepAlive() {
+    var thread = keepAliveThread.getAndSet(null);
+    if (thread != null) {
+      thread.interrupt();
+    }
+  }
+
   public KubernetesClient getKubernetesClient() {
     return configurationService.getKubernetesClient();
   }
@@ -240,6 +275,7 @@ public synchronized void start() {
    */
   @Override
   public void stop() throws OperatorException {
+    stopKeepAlive();
     Duration reconciliationTerminationTimeout =
         configurationService.reconciliationTerminationTimeout();
 
 
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Java Operator SDK Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator;
+
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.sample.simple.TestCustomResource;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.awaitility.Awaitility.await;
+
+class OperatorKeepAliveTest {
+
+  @Test
+  void keepsTheJvmAliveWithANonDaemonThreadUntilStopped() {
+    var operator = newOperator();
+
+    operator.keepAlive();
+
+    assertThat(keepAliveThread()).hasValueSatisfying(t -> assertThat(t.isDaemon()).isFalse());
+
+    operator.stop();
+
+    await().untilAsserted(() -> assertThat(keepAliveThread()).isEmpty());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void callingItAgainDoesNotStartAnotherThread() {
+    var operator = newOperator();
+    try {
+      operator.keepAlive();
+      operator.keepAlive();
+
+      assertThat(keepAliveThreads()).isEqualTo(1);
+    } finally {
+      operator.stop();
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void canBeStartedAgainAfterTheOperatorWasStopped() {
+    var operator = newOperator();
+    operator.keepAlive();
+    operator.stop();
+    await().untilAsserted(() -> assertThat(keepAliveThread()).isEmpty());
+
+    operator.keepAlive();
+    try {
+      assertThat(keepAliveThread()).isPresent();
+    } finally {
+      operator.stop();
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void noThreadIsStartedUnlessRequested() {
+    var operator = newOperator();
+    try {
+      assertThat(keepAliveThread()).isEmpty();
+    } finally {
+      operator.stop();
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static Operator newOperator() {
+    return new Operator(MockKubernetesClient.client(TestCustomResource.class));
+  }
+
+  private static long keepAliveThreads() {
+    return Thread.getAllStackTraces().keySet().stream()
+        .filter(t -> t.getName().equals("josdk-keep-alive") && t.isAlive())
+        .count();
+  }
+
+  private static Optional<Thread> keepAliveThread() {
+    return Thread.getAllStackTraces().keySet().stream()
+        .filter(t -> t.getName().equals("josdk-keep-alive") && t.isAlive())
+        .findFirst();
+  }
+}