diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile.persistenceagent b/backend/Dockerfile.persistenceagent
index fd0fb613f68..bbf6049d05f 100644
--- a/backend/Dockerfile.persistenceagent
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile.persistenceagent
@@ -15,5 +15,6 @@ WORKDIR /bin
 COPY --from=builder /bin/persistence_agent /bin/persistence_agent
 COPY --from=builder /go/src/github.com/kubeflow/pipelines/third_party/license.txt /bin/license.txt
 
-CMD persistence_agent \
-  --alsologtostderr=true
+ENV NAMESPACE ""
+
+CMD persistence_agent --alsologtostderr=true --namespace=${NAMESPACE}