diff --git a/.cicd/test.sh b/.cicd/test.sh
index 1e6303b..68d5f40 100755
--- a/.cicd/test.sh
+++ b/.cicd/test.sh
@@ -179,6 +179,8 @@ function check_creates_template() {
   check_string_existence "" "imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent"
   check_setting_has_value "--set image.pullSecrets[0]=weaviate-image-pull-secret" "imagePullSecrets" "name: weaviate-image-pull-secret"
   check_setting_has_value "--set updateStrategy.type=OnDelete" "updateStrategy" "type: OnDelete"
+  check_string_existence "--set priorityClassName=critical" "priorityClassName: critical"
+  check_string_existence "--set globalPriorityClassName=high" "priorityClassName: high"
 
   DEPLOYMENT_MODULES=(
     "text2vec-contextionary"
@@ -208,6 +210,8 @@ function check_creates_template() {
   check_string_existence "--set modules.$module.enabled=true --set modules.$module.securityContext.thisIsATestFrom$no_dots_module-context=true" "thisIsATestFrom$no_dots_module-context: true"
   check_setting_has_value "--set modules.$module.enabled=true --set modules.$module.imagePullSecrets[0]=$no_dots_module-pullSecrets" "imagePullSecrets" "name: $no_dots_module-pullSecrets"
   check_setting_has_value "--set modules.$module.enabled=true --set modules.$module.strategy.type=$no_dots_module-strategy" "strategy" "type: $no_dots_module-strategy"
+  check_string_existence "--set modules.$module.enabled=true --set modules.$module.priorityClassName=$no_dots_module" "priorityClassName: $no_dots_module"
+  check_string_existence "--set modules.$module.enabled=true --set globalPriorityClassName=high" "priorityClassName: high"
   done
 
   _settingScrapePromMetrics="--set env.PROMETHEUS_MONITORING_ENABLED=true --set serviceMonitor.enabled=true"
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/_helpers.tpl b/weaviate/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 44caece..14b8003 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/weaviate/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -132,3 +132,23 @@ username: {{ randAlphaNum 32 | b64enc | quote }}
 password: {{ randAlphaNum 32 | b64enc | quote }}
 {{- end -}}
 {{- end -}}
+
+
+{{/* 
+Return PriorityClassName
+Usage:
+{{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" .Values.path.to.global.priorityClassName "priorityClassName" .Values.path.to.priorityClassName) | nindent 6 }}
+*/}}
+{{- define "pod.priorityClassName" -}}
+  {{- $priorityClassName := "" -}}
+
+  {{- if .global -}}
+    {{- $priorityClassName = .global -}}
+  {{- else if .priorityClassName -}}
+    {{- $priorityClassName = .priorityClassName -}}
+  {{- end -}}
+
+  {{- if (not (empty $priorityClassName)) -}}
+    {{- printf "priorityClassName: %s" $priorityClassName -}}
+  {{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/contextionaryDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/contextionaryDeployment.yaml
index 65422ea..812c4ea 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/contextionaryDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/contextionaryDeployment.yaml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/gpt4allInferenceDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/gpt4allInferenceDeployment.yaml
index a22374b..cc24f7f 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/gpt4allInferenceDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/gpt4allInferenceDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/img2vecNeuralDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/img2vecNeuralDeployment.yaml
index ccac3ba..55c72a5 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/img2vecNeuralDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/img2vecNeuralDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/multi2vecBindDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/multi2vecBindDeployment.yaml
index d1b68f7..481bea2 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/multi2vecBindDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/multi2vecBindDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/multi2vecClipDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/multi2vecClipDeployment.yaml
index f25b54e..3378c20 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/multi2vecClipDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/multi2vecClipDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/nerTransformersDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/nerTransformersDeployment.yaml
index 4224ac3..b9f5977 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/nerTransformersDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/nerTransformersDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/qnaTransformersDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/qnaTransformersDeployment.yaml
index 515bd9e..013017b 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/qnaTransformersDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/qnaTransformersDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/rerankerTransformersDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/rerankerTransformersDeployment.yaml
index 18a1a11..4242187 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/rerankerTransformersDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/rerankerTransformersDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/sumTransformersDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/sumTransformersDeployment.yaml
index 1b0d868..0cd235a 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/sumTransformersDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/sumTransformersDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/textSpellcheckDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/textSpellcheckDeployment.yaml
index fc5c945..cd20a77 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/textSpellcheckDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/textSpellcheckDeployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/transformersInferenceDeployment.yaml b/weaviate/templates/transformersInferenceDeployment.yaml
index 9ed34d4..9531cc5 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/transformersInferenceDeployment.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/transformersInferenceDeployment.yaml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $module "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $module "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $module "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $module "registry" }}/{{ index $module "repo" }}:{{ index $module "tag" }}
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $passage "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $passage "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $passage "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $passage "registry" }}/{{ index $passage "repo" }}:{{ index $passage "tag" }}
@@ -216,6 +218,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: {{ index .Values "serviceAccountName" }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" (index $query "imagePullSecrets")) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" (index $query "priorityClassName")) | nindent 6 }}
       containers:
       - name: {{ index $query "fullnameOverride" }}
         image: {{ index $query "registry" }}/{{ index $query "repo" }}:{{ index $query "tag" }}
diff --git a/weaviate/templates/weaviateStatefulset.yaml b/weaviate/templates/weaviateStatefulset.yaml
index c529aab..b2078b0 100644
--- a/weaviate/templates/weaviateStatefulset.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/templates/weaviateStatefulset.yaml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ spec:
       {{- end }}
       terminationGracePeriodSeconds: {{ .Values.terminationGracePeriodSeconds }}
       {{- include "image.pullSecrets" (dict "pullSecrets" $.Values.image.pullSecrets) | nindent 6 }}
+      {{- include "pod.priorityClassName" ( dict "global" $.Values.globalPriorityClassName "priorityClassName" .Values.priorityClassName) | nindent 6 }}
       {{- if or (.Values.initContainers.sysctlInitContainer.enabled) (.Values.initContainers.extraInitContainers) }}
       initContainers:
       {{- if .Values.initContainers.sysctlInitContainer.enabled }}
diff --git a/weaviate/values.yaml b/weaviate/values.yaml
index 62e289f..819c278 100644
--- a/weaviate/values.yaml
+++ b/weaviate/values.yaml
@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
       periodSeconds: 3
@@ -474,6 +475,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: transformers-inference
     # Deprecated setting use initialDelaySeconds instead in each probe instead
     # probeInitialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -542,6 +544,7 @@ modules:
         registry: docker.io
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         imagePullSecrets: []
+        priorityClassName: ""
         replicas: 1
         strategy:
           type: RollingUpdate
@@ -611,6 +614,7 @@ modules:
         registry: docker.io
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         imagePullSecrets: []
+        priorityClassName: ""
         replicas: 1
         strategy:
           type: RollingUpdate
@@ -693,6 +697,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: gpt4all-inference
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -832,6 +837,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: clip-inference
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -903,6 +909,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: bind-inference
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -971,6 +978,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: qna-transformers
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -1097,6 +1105,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: img2vec-neural
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -1185,6 +1194,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: reranker-transformers
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -1258,6 +1268,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: text-spellcheck
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -1314,6 +1325,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: ner-transformers
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -1386,6 +1398,7 @@ modules:
       type: RollingUpdate
     imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
     imagePullSecrets: []
+    priorityClassName: ""
     fullnameOverride: sum-transformers
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 120
@@ -1471,3 +1484,9 @@ affinity:
                 operator: In
                 values:
                   - weaviate
+
+## Optionally specify priorityClass name for the pod
+## ref: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/scheduling-eviction/pod-priority-preemption/#pod-priority
+##
+priorityClassName: ""
+globalPriorityClassName: ""