diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/functions/unordered_list.tmpl b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/functions/unordered_list.tmpl
index cb447b156..778a3f709 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/functions/unordered_list.tmpl
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/functions/unordered_list.tmpl
@@ -69,6 +69,14 @@
 {{- if hasKey $inputSystemReserved "memory" }}
 {{- $systemReservedMemory = printf "\"%s\"" $inputSystemReserved.memory }}
 {{- end }}
+{{- end }}
+{{- $shutdownGracePeriod := "" }}
+{{- if hasKey $config "shutdownGracePeriod" }}
+{{- $shutdownGracePeriod = $config.shutdownGracePeriod }}
+{{- end }}
+{{- $shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods := "" }}
+{{- if hasKey $config "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods" }}
+{{- $shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods = $config.shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods }}
 {{- end }}
     kubeletconfig.experimental: |
       {
@@ -76,7 +84,13 @@
        "allowedUnsafeSysctls":{{ $result | toJson }},
        {{- end }}
        {{- if $systemReservedMemory }}
-       "systemReserved":{"memory":{{ $systemReservedMemory }}}
+       "systemReserved":{"memory":{{ $systemReservedMemory }}},
+       {{- end }}
+       {{- if $shutdownGracePeriod }}
+       "shutdownGracePeriod":"{{ $shutdownGracePeriod }}",
+       {{- end }}
+       {{- if $shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods }}
+       "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods":"{{ $shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods }}"
        {{- end }}
       }
 {{- end }}
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/hack/arch/aarch64.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/hack/arch/aarch64.yaml
index 46e7b0bf4..8c5dbb694 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/hack/arch/aarch64.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/hack/arch/aarch64.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ node_tuning_operator_PerformanceProfile:
       annotations:
         kubeletconfig.experimental: |
           {
-            "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"}
+            "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"},
+            "shutdownGracePeriod":"30s",
+            "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods":"10s"
           }
     spec:
       additionalKernelArgs:
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/hack/arch/x86_64.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/hack/arch/x86_64.yaml
index c4c9fea17..9b3e9a425 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/hack/arch/x86_64.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/kube-compare-reference/hack/arch/x86_64.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ node_tuning_operator_PerformanceProfile:
       annotations:
         kubeletconfig.experimental: |
           {
-            "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"}
+            "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"},
+            "shutdownGracePeriod":"30s",
+            "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods":"10s"
           }
     spec:
       additionalKernelArgs:
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/aarch64/PerformanceProfile-SetSelector.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/aarch64/PerformanceProfile-SetSelector.yaml
index 67c1026ae..385800aa6 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/aarch64/PerformanceProfile-SetSelector.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/aarch64/PerformanceProfile-SetSelector.yaml
@@ -10,9 +10,13 @@ metadata:
     ran.openshift.io/ztp-deploy-wave: "10"
     ran.openshift.io/reference-configuration: "ran-du.redhat.com"
     # systemReserved: when used, it should be tailored for each environment.
+    # shutdownGracePeriod: enables kubelet GracefulNodeShutdown to reduce
+    # IBU upgrade downtime. Non-critical pods get 20s, critical pods get 10s.
     kubeletconfig.experimental: |
       {
-       "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"}
+       "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"},
+       "shutdownGracePeriod":"30s",
+       "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods":"10s"
       }
 spec:
   # Note: The defaults here are for Grace Hopper systems. Other systems may alternative PCI or iommu settings such as:
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/aarch64/PerformanceProfile.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/aarch64/PerformanceProfile.yaml
index f10404f82..68f3bf571 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/aarch64/PerformanceProfile.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/aarch64/PerformanceProfile.yaml
@@ -10,9 +10,13 @@ metadata:
     ran.openshift.io/ztp-deploy-wave: "10"
     ran.openshift.io/reference-configuration: "ran-du.redhat.com"
     # systemReserved: when used, it should be tailored for each environment.
+    # shutdownGracePeriod: enables kubelet GracefulNodeShutdown to reduce
+    # IBU upgrade downtime. Non-critical pods get 20s, critical pods get 10s.
     kubeletconfig.experimental: |
       {
-       "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"}
+       "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"},
+       "shutdownGracePeriod":"30s",
+       "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods":"10s"
       }
 spec:
   # Note: The defaults here are for Grace Hopper systems. Other systems may alternative PCI or iommu settings such as:
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/x86_64/PerformanceProfile-SetSelector.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/x86_64/PerformanceProfile-SetSelector.yaml
index d49119f19..148d1b150 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/x86_64/PerformanceProfile-SetSelector.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/x86_64/PerformanceProfile-SetSelector.yaml
@@ -10,9 +10,13 @@ metadata:
     ran.openshift.io/ztp-deploy-wave: "10"
     ran.openshift.io/reference-configuration: "ran-du.redhat.com"
     # systemReserved: when used, it should be tailored for each environment.
+    # shutdownGracePeriod: enables kubelet GracefulNodeShutdown to reduce
+    # IBU upgrade downtime. Non-critical pods get 20s, critical pods get 10s.
     kubeletconfig.experimental: |
       {
-       "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"}
+       "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"},
+       "shutdownGracePeriod":"30s",
+       "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods":"10s"
       }
 spec:
   # Optional kernel arguments:
diff --git a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/x86_64/PerformanceProfile.yaml b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/x86_64/PerformanceProfile.yaml
index 079224dac..edce0f307 100644
--- a/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/x86_64/PerformanceProfile.yaml
+++ b/telco-ran/configuration/source-crs/node-tuning-operator/x86_64/PerformanceProfile.yaml
@@ -10,9 +10,13 @@ metadata:
     ran.openshift.io/ztp-deploy-wave: "10"
     ran.openshift.io/reference-configuration: "ran-du.redhat.com"
     # systemReserved: when used, it should be tailored for each environment.
+    # shutdownGracePeriod: enables kubelet GracefulNodeShutdown to reduce
+    # IBU upgrade downtime. Non-critical pods get 20s, critical pods get 10s.
     kubeletconfig.experimental: |
       {
-       "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"}
+       "systemReserved":{"memory":"11Gi"},
+       "shutdownGracePeriod":"30s",
+       "shutdownGracePeriodCriticalPods":"10s"
       }
 spec:
   # Optional kernel arguments: