diff --git a/changelog.d/+fixed-missing-http-dep.internal.md b/changelog.d/+fixed-missing-http-dep.internal.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..96d0e5e123b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/+fixed-missing-http-dep.internal.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed compilation of `mirrord-operator` crate with no features.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/mirrord/operator/src/client.rs b/mirrord/operator/src/client.rs
index 91ff07d4f43..b6da7c9b7e6 100644
--- a/mirrord/operator/src/client.rs
+++ b/mirrord/operator/src/client.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use base64::{engine::general_purpose, Engine};
 use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
 use conn_wrapper::ConnectionWrapper;
 use error::{OperatorApiError, OperatorApiResult, OperatorOperation};
-use http::{request::Request, HeaderValue};
+use http::{request::Request, HeaderName, HeaderValue};
 use kube::{
     api::{ListParams, PostParams},
     Api, Client, Config, Resource,
@@ -387,7 +387,9 @@ impl OperatorApi<NoClientCert> {
             let header = Self::make_client_cert_header(&certificate)?;
 
             let mut config = self.client_cert.base_config;
-            config.headers.push((CLIENT_CERT_HEADER.clone(), header));
+            config
+                .headers
+                .push((HeaderName::from_static(CLIENT_CERT_HEADER), header));
             let client = Client::try_from(config)
                 .map_err(KubeApiError::from)
                 .map_err(OperatorApiError::CreateKubeClient)?;
@@ -546,15 +548,15 @@ where
         .map_err(OperatorApiError::CreateKubeClient)?;
 
         client_config.headers.push((
-            MIRRORD_CLI_VERSION_HEADER.clone(),
+            HeaderName::from_static(MIRRORD_CLI_VERSION_HEADER),
             HeaderValue::from_static(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION")),
         ));
 
         let UserIdentity { name, hostname } = UserIdentity::load();
 
         let headers = [
-            (CLIENT_NAME_HEADER.clone(), name),
-            (CLIENT_HOSTNAME_HEADER.clone(), hostname),
+            (CLIENT_NAME_HEADER, name),
+            (CLIENT_HOSTNAME_HEADER, hostname),
         ];
         for (name, raw_value) in headers {
             let Some(raw_value) = raw_value else {
@@ -568,7 +570,9 @@ where
                 .to_string();
             let value = HeaderValue::from_str(&cleaned);
             match value {
-                Ok(value) => client_config.headers.push((name, value)),
+                Ok(value) => client_config
+                    .headers
+                    .push((HeaderName::from_static(name), value)),
                 Err(error) => {
                     tracing::debug!(%error, %name, raw_value = raw_value, cleaned, "Invalid header value");
                 }
@@ -799,7 +803,7 @@ impl OperatorApi<PreparedClientCert> {
         let cert_header = Self::make_client_cert_header(&session.client_cert)?;
         config
             .headers
-            .push((CLIENT_CERT_HEADER.clone(), cert_header));
+            .push((HeaderName::from_static(CLIENT_CERT_HEADER), cert_header));
 
         let client = Client::try_from(config)
             .map_err(KubeApiError::from)
@@ -818,7 +822,7 @@ impl OperatorApi<PreparedClientCert> {
     ) -> OperatorApiResult<(Sender<ClientMessage>, Receiver<DaemonMessage>)> {
         let request = Request::builder()
             .uri(&session.connect_url)
-            .header(SESSION_ID_HEADER.clone(), session.id.to_string())
+            .header(SESSION_ID_HEADER, session.id.to_string())
             .body(vec![])
             .map_err(OperatorApiError::ConnectRequestBuildError)?;
 
diff --git a/mirrord/operator/src/types.rs b/mirrord/operator/src/types.rs
index bf64320da85..78107221307 100644
--- a/mirrord/operator/src/types.rs
+++ b/mirrord/operator/src/types.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use chrono::NaiveDate;
-use http::HeaderName;
 use schemars::JsonSchema;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
@@ -14,26 +13,25 @@ pub struct LicenseInfoOwned {
     pub subscription_id: Option<String>,
 }
 
-/// HTTP header containing CLI version.
+/// Name of HTTP header containing CLI version.
 /// Sent with each request to the mirrord operator.
-pub static MIRRORD_CLI_VERSION_HEADER: HeaderName =
-    HeaderName::from_static("x-mirrord-cli-version");
+pub const MIRRORD_CLI_VERSION_HEADER: &str = "x-mirrord-cli-version";
 
-/// HTTP header containing client certificate.
+/// Name of HTTP header containing client certificate.
 /// Sent with each request to the mirrord operator (if available) except:
 /// 1. Initial GET on the operator resource
 /// 2. User certificate request
 /// Required for making the target connection request.
-pub static CLIENT_CERT_HEADER: HeaderName = HeaderName::from_static("x-client-der");
+pub const CLIENT_CERT_HEADER: &str = "x-client-der";
 
-/// HTTP header containing client hostname.
+/// Name of HTTP header containing client hostname.
 /// Sent with each request to the mirrord operator (if available).
-pub static CLIENT_HOSTNAME_HEADER: HeaderName = HeaderName::from_static("x-client-hostname");
+pub const CLIENT_HOSTNAME_HEADER: &str = "x-client-hostname";
 
-/// HTTP header containing client name.
+/// Name of HTTP header containing client name.
 /// Sent with each request to the mirrord operator (if available).
-pub static CLIENT_NAME_HEADER: HeaderName = HeaderName::from_static("x-client-name");
+pub const CLIENT_NAME_HEADER: &str = "x-client-name";
 
-/// HTTP header containing operator session id.
+/// Name of HTTP header containing operator session id.
 /// Sent with target connection request.
-pub static SESSION_ID_HEADER: HeaderName = HeaderName::from_static("x-session-id");
+pub const SESSION_ID_HEADER: &str = "x-session-id";