diff --git a/chart/templates/kyverno/policies/values.yaml b/chart/templates/kyverno/policies/values.yaml
index 093e00083405c0ea3f4dee6a67576113bc5e4186..86d8d88beb0d10dcb2d503ce0ae509f428dc5fcf 100644
--- a/chart/templates/kyverno/policies/values.yaml
+++ b/chart/templates/kyverno/policies/values.yaml
@@ -288,6 +288,11 @@ policies:
 
   require-non-root-user:
     validationFailureAction: audit
+    {{ if .Values.istio.enabled }}
+    parameters: 
+      excludeContainers:
+        - istio-init
+    {{- end }}
     {{- if or $deployRestic .Values.twistlock.enabled .Values.fluentbit.enabled .Values.promtail.enabled .Values.addons.gitlab.enabled }}
     exclude:
       any: