diff --git a/pkg/inferenceservice-controller/controller.go b/pkg/inferenceservice-controller/controller.go
index a66a8a9d2..fc4ac4454 100644
--- a/pkg/inferenceservice-controller/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/inferenceservice-controller/controller.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package inferenceservicecontroller
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"crypto/tls"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 
 type InferenceServiceController struct {
 	client                        client.Client
-	customHTTPClient              *http.Client
+	httpClient                    *http.Client
 	log                           logr.Logger
 	bearerToken                   string
 	inferenceServiceIDLabel       string
@@ -26,14 +27,36 @@ type InferenceServiceController struct {
 	modelVersionIDLabel           string
 	modelRegistryNamespaceLabel   string
 	modelRegistryNameLabel        string
-	modelRegistryURLLabel         string
+	modelRegistryURLAnnotation    string
 	modelRegistryFinalizer        string
 	defaultModelRegistryNamespace string
 }
 
-func NewInferenceServiceController(client client.Client, log logr.Logger, bearerToken, isIDLabel, regModelIDLabel, modelVerIDLabel, mrNamespaceLabel, mrNameLabel, mrURLLabel, mrFinalizer, defaultMRNamespace string) *InferenceServiceController {
+func NewInferenceServiceController(
+	client client.Client,
+	log logr.Logger,
+	skipTLSVerify bool,
+	bearerToken,
+	isIDLabel,
+	regModelIDLabel,
+	modelVerIDLabel,
+	mrNamespaceLabel,
+	mrNameLabel,
+	mrURLAnnotation,
+	mrFinalizer,
+	defaultMRNamespace string,
+) *InferenceServiceController {
+	httpClient := http.DefaultClient
+
+	if skipTLSVerify {
+		httpClient.Transport = &http.Transport{
+			TLSClientConfig: &tls.Config{InsecureSkipVerify: true},
+		}
+	}
+
 	return &InferenceServiceController{
 		client:                        client,
+		httpClient:                    httpClient,
 		log:                           log,
 		bearerToken:                   bearerToken,
 		inferenceServiceIDLabel:       isIDLabel,
@@ -41,14 +64,14 @@ func NewInferenceServiceController(client client.Client, log logr.Logger, bearer
 		modelVersionIDLabel:           modelVerIDLabel,
 		modelRegistryNamespaceLabel:   mrNamespaceLabel,
 		modelRegistryNameLabel:        mrNameLabel,
-		modelRegistryURLLabel:         mrURLLabel,
+		modelRegistryURLAnnotation:    mrURLAnnotation,
 		modelRegistryFinalizer:        mrFinalizer,
 		defaultModelRegistryNamespace: defaultMRNamespace,
 	}
 }
 
 func (r *InferenceServiceController) OverrideHTTPClient(client *http.Client) {
-	r.customHTTPClient = client
+	r.httpClient = client
 }
 
 // Reconcile performs the reconciliation of the model registry based on Kubeflow InferenceService CRs
@@ -80,14 +103,20 @@ func (r *InferenceServiceController) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Req
 	registeredModelId, okRegisteredModelId := isvc.Labels[r.registeredModelIDLabel]
 	modelVersionId := isvc.Labels[r.modelVersionIDLabel]
 	mrName, okMrName := isvc.Labels[r.modelRegistryNameLabel]
-	mrUrl := isvc.Labels[r.modelRegistryURLLabel]
+	mrUrl, okMrUrl := isvc.Annotations[r.modelRegistryURLAnnotation]
 
-	if !okMrIsvcId && !okRegisteredModelId && !okMrName {
+	if !okMrIsvcId && !okRegisteredModelId {
 		// Early check: no model registry specific labels set in the ISVC, ignore the CR
 		log.Error(fmt.Errorf("missing model registry specific label, unable to link ISVC to Model Registry, skipping InferenceService"), "Stop ModelRegistry InferenceService reconciliation")
 		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 	}
 
+	if !okMrName && !okMrUrl {
+		// Early check: it's required to have the model registry name or url set in the ISVC
+		log.Error(fmt.Errorf("missing model registry name or url, unable to link ISVC to Model Registry, skipping InferenceService"), "Stop ModelRegistry InferenceService reconciliation")
+		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
+	}
+
 	if mrNSFromISVC, ok := isvc.Labels[r.modelRegistryNamespaceLabel]; ok {
 		mrNamespace = mrNSFromISVC
 	}
@@ -210,7 +239,7 @@ func (r *InferenceServiceController) initModelRegistryService(ctx context.Contex
 	}
 
 	cfg := &openapi.Configuration{
-		HTTPClient: r.customHTTPClient,
+		HTTPClient: r.httpClient,
 		Servers: openapi.ServerConfigurations{
 			{
 				URL: url,
diff --git a/pkg/inferenceservice-controller/suite_test.go b/pkg/inferenceservice-controller/suite_test.go
index cbfd31bb4..ab951b068 100644
--- a/pkg/inferenceservice-controller/suite_test.go
+++ b/pkg/inferenceservice-controller/suite_test.go
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ const (
 	modelVersionIDLabel     = "modelregistry.kubeflow.org/model-version-id"
 	namespaceLabel          = "modelregistry.kubeflow.org/namespace"
 	nameLabel               = "modelregistry.kubeflow.org/name"
-	urlLabel                = "modelregistry.kubeflow.org/url"
+	skipTLSVerify           = true
+	urlAnnotation           = "modelregistry.kubeflow.org/url"
 	finalizerLabel          = "modelregistry.kubeflow.org/finalizer"
 	defaultNamespace        = "default"
 	accessToken             = ""
@@ -135,13 +136,14 @@ var _ = BeforeSuite(func() {
 	inferenceServiceController := inferenceservicecontroller.NewInferenceServiceController(
 		cli,
 		ctrl.Log.WithName("controllers").WithName("ModelRegistry-InferenceService-Controller"),
+		skipTLSVerify,
 		accessToken,
 		inferenceServiceIDLabel,
 		registeredModelIDLabel,
 		modelVersionIDLabel,
 		namespaceLabel,
 		nameLabel,
-		urlLabel,
+		urlAnnotation,
 		finalizerLabel,
 		defaultNamespace,
 	)