diff --git a/internal/operator/controller/sandbox_controller.go b/internal/operator/controller/sandbox_controller.go
index 7c6a2573..0e3f905d 100644
--- a/internal/operator/controller/sandbox_controller.go
+++ b/internal/operator/controller/sandbox_controller.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"maps"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
@@ -109,6 +110,10 @@ const (
 	LabelAllowIPv6Internet = "isola.run/allow-ipv6-internet-egress"
 	LabelAllowClusterDNS   = "isola.run/allow-cluster-dns"
 
+	labelAllowPrefix = "isola.run/allow-"
+
+	gvisorAnnotationPrefix = "dev.gvisor."
+
 	// SidecarVersionAnnotation records on the sandbox pod the isola-operator
 	// GitVersion at the moment the pod was created. Sandbox.Status.SidecarVersion
 	// is a mirror of this annotation; the pod is the durable source of truth so
@@ -275,6 +280,9 @@ func (r *SandboxReconciler) CreateSandboxPod(ctx context.Context, sandbox *sandb
 	// This prevents templates from overriding app.kubernetes.io/* etc.
 	labels := make(map[string]string)
 	maps.Copy(labels, sandbox.Spec.PodTemplate.Labels)
+	maps.DeleteFunc(labels, func(k, _ string) bool {
+		return strings.HasPrefix(k, labelAllowPrefix)
+	})
 
 	// Standard Kubernetes recommended labels (https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/overview/working-with-objects/common-labels/)
 	labels["app.kubernetes.io/name"] = "isola-sandbox"
@@ -290,6 +298,9 @@ func (r *SandboxReconciler) CreateSandboxPod(ctx context.Context, sandbox *sandb
 
 	annotations := make(map[string]string, len(sandbox.Spec.PodTemplate.Annotations))
 	maps.Copy(annotations, sandbox.Spec.PodTemplate.Annotations)
+	maps.DeleteFunc(annotations, func(k, _ string) bool {
+		return strings.HasPrefix(k, gvisorAnnotationPrefix)
+	})
 
 	sandboxPod := &corev1.Pod{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
diff --git a/internal/operator/controller/sandbox_controller_pod_test.go b/internal/operator/controller/sandbox_controller_pod_test.go
index 7bd84eb1..dddb5ac9 100644
--- a/internal/operator/controller/sandbox_controller_pod_test.go
+++ b/internal/operator/controller/sandbox_controller_pod_test.go
@@ -178,6 +178,57 @@ var _ = Describe("Sandbox Controller", func() {
 			Expect(pod.Annotations).To(HaveKeyWithValue("dev.gvisor.flag.overlay2", "root:self"))
 		})
 
+		It("should strip operator-owned egress-authorization labels from the pod template", func() {
+			sandboxName := "sandbox-strip-labels"
+
+			createSandbox(ctx, sandboxName, func(s *sandboxv1alpha1.Sandbox) {
+				s.Spec.PodTemplate.Labels = map[string]string{
+					LabelAllowIPv4Internet: "true",
+					LabelAllowClusterDNS:   "true",
+					"team":                 "blue",
+				}
+			})
+			defer deleteSandbox(ctx, sandboxName)
+
+			podName := sandboxName + "-pod"
+			defer deletePod(ctx, podName)
+
+			_, err := doReconcile(ctx, reconciler, sandboxName)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+			pod := getPod(ctx, podName)
+			Expect(pod).NotTo(BeNil())
+			Expect(pod.Labels).NotTo(HaveKey(LabelAllowIPv4Internet))
+			Expect(pod.Labels).NotTo(HaveKey(LabelAllowClusterDNS))
+			Expect(pod.Labels).To(HaveKeyWithValue("team", "blue"))
+		})
+
+		It("should strip operator-owned gVisor annotations from the pod template", func() {
+			sandboxName := "sandbox-strip-annotations"
+
+			createSandbox(ctx, sandboxName, func(s *sandboxv1alpha1.Sandbox) {
+				s.Spec.PodTemplate.Annotations = map[string]string{
+					"dev.gvisor.tar.rootfs.upper.sandbox": "/host/snapshots/victim/secret.tar",
+					"dev.gvisor.flag.qdisc":               "tbf",
+					"team":                                "blue",
+				}
+			})
+			defer deleteSandbox(ctx, sandboxName)
+
+			podName := sandboxName + "-pod"
+			defer deletePod(ctx, podName)
+
+			_, err := doReconcile(ctx, reconciler, sandboxName)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+			pod := getPod(ctx, podName)
+			Expect(pod).NotTo(BeNil())
+			Expect(pod.Annotations).NotTo(HaveKey("dev.gvisor.tar.rootfs.upper.sandbox"))
+			Expect(pod.Annotations).NotTo(HaveKey("dev.gvisor.flag.qdisc"))
+			Expect(pod.Annotations).To(HaveKeyWithValue("dev.gvisor.flag.overlay2", "root:self"))
+			Expect(pod.Annotations).To(HaveKeyWithValue("team", "blue"))
+		})
+
 		It("should inject sleep infinity when no command is specified", func() {
 			sandboxName := "sandbox-default-cmd"