diff --git a/cmd/contour/gatewayprovisioner.go b/cmd/contour/gatewayprovisioner.go
index 24cfc4fd891..1ef839584dd 100644
--- a/cmd/contour/gatewayprovisioner.go
+++ b/cmd/contour/gatewayprovisioner.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func registerGatewayProvisioner(app *kingpin.Application) (*kingpin.CmdClause, *
 	cmd := app.Command("gateway-provisioner", "Run contour gateway provisioner.")
 
 	provisionerConfig := &gatewayProvisionerConfig{
-		contourImage:          "ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main",
+		contourImage:          "ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1",
 		envoyImage:            "docker.io/envoyproxy/envoy:v1.28.0",
 		metricsBindAddress:    ":8080",
 		leaderElection:        false,
diff --git a/examples/contour/02-job-certgen.yaml b/examples/contour/02-job-certgen.yaml
index 35ba3d2fc7d..8cdfb0bbf7f 100644
--- a/examples/contour/02-job-certgen.yaml
+++ b/examples/contour/02-job-certgen.yaml
@@ -36,10 +36,9 @@ rules:
 apiVersion: batch/v1
 kind: Job
 metadata:
-  name: contour-certgen-main
+  name: contour-certgen-v1-27-0-rc-1
   namespace: projectcontour
 spec:
-  ttlSecondsAfterFinished: 0
   template:
     metadata:
       labels:
@@ -47,8 +46,8 @@ spec:
     spec:
       containers:
       - name: contour
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         command:
         - contour
         - certgen
diff --git a/examples/contour/03-contour.yaml b/examples/contour/03-contour.yaml
index 6efbc11821d..1fd1e3f22ab 100644
--- a/examples/contour/03-contour.yaml
+++ b/examples/contour/03-contour.yaml
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ spec:
         - --contour-key-file=/certs/tls.key
         - --config-path=/config/contour.yaml
         command: ["contour"]
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: contour
         ports:
         - containerPort: 8001
diff --git a/examples/contour/03-envoy.yaml b/examples/contour/03-envoy.yaml
index 908201b05f7..132cd807782 100644
--- a/examples/contour/03-envoy.yaml
+++ b/examples/contour/03-envoy.yaml
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ spec:
         args:
           - envoy
           - shutdown-manager
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         lifecycle:
           preStop:
             exec:
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ spec:
         - --envoy-key-file=/certs/tls.key
         command:
         - contour
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: envoy-initconfig
         volumeMounts:
         - name: envoy-config
diff --git a/examples/deployment/03-envoy-deployment.yaml b/examples/deployment/03-envoy-deployment.yaml
index 2976997fb64..a00f52101cc 100644
--- a/examples/deployment/03-envoy-deployment.yaml
+++ b/examples/deployment/03-envoy-deployment.yaml
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ spec:
           args:
             - envoy
             - shutdown-manager
-          image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-          imagePullPolicy: Always
+          image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+          imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
           lifecycle:
             preStop:
               exec:
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ spec:
             - --envoy-key-file=/certs/tls.key
           command:
             - contour
-          image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-          imagePullPolicy: Always
+          image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+          imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
           name: envoy-initconfig
           volumeMounts:
             - name: envoy-config
diff --git a/examples/gateway-provisioner/03-gateway-provisioner.yaml b/examples/gateway-provisioner/03-gateway-provisioner.yaml
index ba5a3cfc2e4..67653f41eba 100644
--- a/examples/gateway-provisioner/03-gateway-provisioner.yaml
+++ b/examples/gateway-provisioner/03-gateway-provisioner.yaml
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ spec:
         - --metrics-addr=127.0.0.1:8080
         - --enable-leader-election
         command: ["contour"]
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: contour-gateway-provisioner
         resources:
           requests:
diff --git a/examples/render/contour-deployment.yaml b/examples/render/contour-deployment.yaml
index 2020135a384..5bcfe1152c6 100644
--- a/examples/render/contour-deployment.yaml
+++ b/examples/render/contour-deployment.yaml
@@ -8367,10 +8367,9 @@ rules:
 apiVersion: batch/v1
 kind: Job
 metadata:
-  name: contour-certgen-main
+  name: contour-certgen-v1-27-0-rc-1
   namespace: projectcontour
 spec:
-  ttlSecondsAfterFinished: 0
   template:
     metadata:
       labels:
@@ -8378,8 +8377,8 @@ spec:
     spec:
       containers:
       - name: contour
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         command:
         - contour
         - certgen
@@ -8637,8 +8636,8 @@ spec:
         - --contour-key-file=/certs/tls.key
         - --config-path=/config/contour.yaml
         command: ["contour"]
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: contour
         ports:
         - containerPort: 8001
@@ -8739,8 +8738,8 @@ spec:
           args:
             - envoy
             - shutdown-manager
-          image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-          imagePullPolicy: Always
+          image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+          imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
           lifecycle:
             preStop:
               exec:
@@ -8817,8 +8816,8 @@ spec:
             - --envoy-key-file=/certs/tls.key
           command:
             - contour
-          image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-          imagePullPolicy: Always
+          image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+          imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
           name: envoy-initconfig
           volumeMounts:
             - name: envoy-config
diff --git a/examples/render/contour-gateway-provisioner.yaml b/examples/render/contour-gateway-provisioner.yaml
index 4dc8215d1cb..5395fc60280 100644
--- a/examples/render/contour-gateway-provisioner.yaml
+++ b/examples/render/contour-gateway-provisioner.yaml
@@ -19208,8 +19208,8 @@ spec:
         - --metrics-addr=127.0.0.1:8080
         - --enable-leader-election
         command: ["contour"]
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: contour-gateway-provisioner
         resources:
           requests:
diff --git a/examples/render/contour-gateway.yaml b/examples/render/contour-gateway.yaml
index 089e75b887d..3ca9ce818f5 100644
--- a/examples/render/contour-gateway.yaml
+++ b/examples/render/contour-gateway.yaml
@@ -8370,10 +8370,9 @@ rules:
 apiVersion: batch/v1
 kind: Job
 metadata:
-  name: contour-certgen-main
+  name: contour-certgen-v1-27-0-rc-1
   namespace: projectcontour
 spec:
-  ttlSecondsAfterFinished: 0
   template:
     metadata:
       labels:
@@ -8381,8 +8380,8 @@ spec:
     spec:
       containers:
       - name: contour
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         command:
         - contour
         - certgen
@@ -8640,8 +8639,8 @@ spec:
         - --contour-key-file=/certs/tls.key
         - --config-path=/config/contour.yaml
         command: ["contour"]
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: contour
         ports:
         - containerPort: 8001
@@ -8729,8 +8728,8 @@ spec:
         args:
           - envoy
           - shutdown-manager
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         lifecycle:
           preStop:
             exec:
@@ -8807,8 +8806,8 @@ spec:
         - --envoy-key-file=/certs/tls.key
         command:
         - contour
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: envoy-initconfig
         volumeMounts:
         - name: envoy-config
diff --git a/examples/render/contour.yaml b/examples/render/contour.yaml
index 3f24568201b..e59b2edc12e 100644
--- a/examples/render/contour.yaml
+++ b/examples/render/contour.yaml
@@ -8367,10 +8367,9 @@ rules:
 apiVersion: batch/v1
 kind: Job
 metadata:
-  name: contour-certgen-main
+  name: contour-certgen-v1-27-0-rc-1
   namespace: projectcontour
 spec:
-  ttlSecondsAfterFinished: 0
   template:
     metadata:
       labels:
@@ -8378,8 +8377,8 @@ spec:
     spec:
       containers:
       - name: contour
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         command:
         - contour
         - certgen
@@ -8637,8 +8636,8 @@ spec:
         - --contour-key-file=/certs/tls.key
         - --config-path=/config/contour.yaml
         command: ["contour"]
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: contour
         ports:
         - containerPort: 8001
@@ -8726,8 +8725,8 @@ spec:
         args:
           - envoy
           - shutdown-manager
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         lifecycle:
           preStop:
             exec:
@@ -8804,8 +8803,8 @@ spec:
         - --envoy-key-file=/certs/tls.key
         command:
         - contour
-        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:main
-        imagePullPolicy: Always
+        image: ghcr.io/projectcontour/contour:v1.27.0-rc.1
+        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         name: envoy-initconfig
         volumeMounts:
         - name: envoy-config