diff --git a/pkg/k8s/applier/executor.go b/pkg/k8s/applier/executor.go
index 9a9fc57b1..5f3e66c41 100644
--- a/pkg/k8s/applier/executor.go
+++ b/pkg/k8s/applier/executor.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"time"
 
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/cli-utils/pkg/common"
 
 	airshipv1 "opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/api/v1alpha1"
@@ -41,6 +42,30 @@ type ExecutorOptions struct {
 	AirshipConfig    *config.Config
 }
 
+var _ ifc.Executor = &Executor{}
+
+// RegisterExecutor adds executor to phase executor registry
+func RegisterExecutor(registry map[schema.GroupVersionKind]ifc.ExecutorFactory) error {
+	obj := &airshipv1.KubernetesApply{}
+	gvks, _, err := airshipv1.Scheme.ObjectKinds(obj)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	registry[gvks[0]] = registerExecutor
+	return nil
+}
+
+// registerExecutor is here so that executor in theory can be used outside phases
+func registerExecutor(cfg ifc.ExecutorConfig) (ifc.Executor, error) {
+	return NewExecutor(ExecutorOptions{
+		BundleName:       cfg.PhaseName,
+		AirshipConfig:    cfg.AirshipSettings.Config,
+		ExecutorBundle:   cfg.ExecutorBundle,
+		ExecutorDocument: cfg.ExecutorDocument,
+		Kubeconfig:       cfg.KubeConfig,
+	})
+}
+
 // Executor applies resources to kubernetes
 type Executor struct {
 	Options ExecutorOptions
diff --git a/pkg/phase/phase.go b/pkg/phase/phase.go
index 3971c3361..571743702 100644
--- a/pkg/phase/phase.go
+++ b/pkg/phase/phase.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/document"
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/environment"
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/events"
+	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/k8s/applier"
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/k8s/kubeconfig"
 	k8sutils "opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/k8s/utils"
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/log"
@@ -43,6 +44,9 @@ func DefaultExecutorRegistry() map[schema.GroupVersionKind]ifc.ExecutorFactory {
 	if err := clusterctl.RegisterExecutor(execMap); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(ErrExecutorRegistration{ExecutorName: "clusterctl", Err: err})
 	}
+	if err := applier.RegisterExecutor(execMap); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(ErrExecutorRegistration{ExecutorName: "kubernetes-apply", Err: err})
+	}
 	return execMap
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/phase/phase_test.go b/pkg/phase/phase_test.go
index 4312f43ad..9c99c5ac4 100644
--- a/pkg/phase/phase_test.go
+++ b/pkg/phase/phase_test.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/config"
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/document"
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/environment"
+	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/k8s/applier"
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/phase"
 	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/phase/ifc"
 )
@@ -229,6 +230,21 @@ func TestGetExecutor(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name:     "Get registered executor",
+			settings: makeDefaultSettings,
+			phase: &airshipv1.Phase{
+				Config: airshipv1.PhaseConfig{
+					ExecutorRef: &corev1.ObjectReference{
+						APIVersion: "airshipit.org/v1alpha1",
+						Kind:       "KubernetesApply",
+						Name:       "kubernetes-apply",
+					},
+					DocumentEntryPoint: "valid_site/phases",
+				},
+			},
+			expectedExc: &applier.Executor{},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range testCases {
@@ -237,11 +253,21 @@ func TestGetExecutor(t *testing.T) {
 			cmd := phase.Cmd{AirshipCTLSettings: tt.settings()}
 			actualExc, actualErr := cmd.GetExecutor(tt.phase)
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectedErr, actualErr)
-			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectedExc, actualExc)
+			assertEqualExecutor(t, tt.expectedExc, actualExc)
 		})
 	}
 }
 
+// assertEqualExecutor allows to compare executor interfaces
+// check if we expect nil, and if so actual interface must be nil also otherwise compare types
+func assertEqualExecutor(t *testing.T, expected, actual ifc.Executor) {
+	if expected == nil {
+		assert.Nil(t, actual)
+		return
+	}
+	assert.IsType(t, expected, actual)
+}
+
 func makeDefaultSettings() *environment.AirshipCTLSettings {
 	testSettings := &environment.AirshipCTLSettings{
 		AirshipConfigPath: "testdata/airshipconfig.yaml",
diff --git a/pkg/phase/testdata/valid_site/phases/kubernetes_apply.yaml b/pkg/phase/testdata/valid_site/phases/kubernetes_apply.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2bfc137bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/phase/testdata/valid_site/phases/kubernetes_apply.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+apiVersion: airshipit.org/v1alpha1
+kind: KubernetesApply
+metadata:
+  labels:
+    airshipit.org/deploy-k8s: "false"
+  name: kubernetes-apply
+config:
+  waitOptions:
+    timeout: 600
+  pruneOptions:
+    prune: false
diff --git a/pkg/phase/testdata/valid_site/phases/kustomization.yaml b/pkg/phase/testdata/valid_site/phases/kustomization.yaml
index 5385fa3b4..799051b7a 100644
--- a/pkg/phase/testdata/valid_site/phases/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/pkg/phase/testdata/valid_site/phases/kustomization.yaml
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ resources:
   - some_exc.yaml
   - capi_init.yaml
   - clusterctl.yaml
+  - kubernetes_apply.yaml