diff --git a/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/_helpers.tpl b/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 55ed3faa2..9c1900373 100644
--- a/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -1,5 +1,63 @@
 {{/* vim: set filetype=mustache: */}}
 
+{{/*
+Resolve busybox image fields with backward compatibility.
+Prefer deprecated .Values.images.toolset.busybox when present so existing overrides
+continue to work after top-level defaults are introduced.
+*/}}
+{{- define "pulsar.images.busybox.repository" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "busybox") .Values.images.toolset.busybox.repository -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.busybox.repository -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "busybox") .Values.images.busybox.repository -}}
+{{- .Values.images.busybox.repository -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{- define "pulsar.images.busybox.tag" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "busybox") .Values.images.toolset.busybox.tag -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.busybox.tag -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "busybox") .Values.images.busybox.tag -}}
+{{- .Values.images.busybox.tag -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{- define "pulsar.images.busybox.pullPolicy" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "busybox") .Values.images.toolset.busybox.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.busybox.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "busybox") .Values.images.busybox.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- .Values.images.busybox.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{/*
+Resolve kubectl image fields with backward compatibility.
+Prefer deprecated .Values.images.toolset.kubectl when present so existing overrides
+continue to work after top-level defaults are introduced.
+*/}}
+{{- define "pulsar.images.kubectl.repository" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "kubectl") .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.repository -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.repository -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "kubectl") .Values.images.kubectl.repository -}}
+{{- .Values.images.kubectl.repository -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{- define "pulsar.images.kubectl.tag" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "kubectl") .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.tag -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.tag -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "kubectl") .Values.images.kubectl.tag -}}
+{{- .Values.images.kubectl.tag -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{- define "pulsar.images.kubectl.pullPolicy" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "kubectl") .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "kubectl") .Values.images.kubectl.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- .Values.images.kubectl.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
 {{/*
 pulsar home
 */}}
diff --git a/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/toolset/jwt-secret-init-job.yaml b/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/toolset/jwt-secret-init-job.yaml
index e9a644bc5..a36aef0c2 100644
--- a/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/toolset/jwt-secret-init-job.yaml
+++ b/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/toolset/jwt-secret-init-job.yaml
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ spec:
         emptyDir: {}
       initContainers:
       - name: "kubectl"
-        image: "{{ .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.repository }}:{{ .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.tag }}"
-        imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.pullPolicy }}
+        image: "{{ include "pulsar.images.kubectl.repository" . }}:{{ include "pulsar.images.kubectl.tag" . }}"
+        imagePullPolicy: {{ include "pulsar.images.kubectl.pullPolicy" . }}
         command: ["cp", "/opt/bitnami/kubectl/bin/kubectl", "/tmp/binaries"]
       {{- if .Values.toolset.resources }}
         resources:
diff --git a/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/toolset/toolset-statefulset.yaml b/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/toolset/toolset-statefulset.yaml
index 739a39078..9b2e869df 100644
--- a/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/toolset/toolset-statefulset.yaml
+++ b/charts/sn-platform-slim/templates/toolset/toolset-statefulset.yaml
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ spec:
       {{- end }}
       {{- if .Values.toolset.installBusybox }}
       - name: busybox
-        image: "{{ .Values.images.toolset.busybox.repository }}:{{ .Values.images.toolset.busybox.tag }}"
-        imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.images.toolset.busybox.pullPolicy }}
+        image: "{{ include "pulsar.images.busybox.repository" . }}:{{ include "pulsar.images.busybox.tag" . }}"
+        imagePullPolicy: {{ include "pulsar.images.busybox.pullPolicy" . }}
       {{- if .Values.toolset.resources }}
         resources:
 {{ toYaml .Values.toolset.resources | indent 10 }}
@@ -192,4 +192,4 @@ spec:
       {{- if .Values.toolset.serviceAccount.use }}
       serviceAccountName: {{ include "pulsar.toolset.serviceAccount" . }}
       {{- end }}
-{{- end }}
\ No newline at end of file
+{{- end }}
diff --git a/charts/sn-platform-slim/values.yaml b/charts/sn-platform-slim/values.yaml
index 861a99462..b21044bfa 100644
--- a/charts/sn-platform-slim/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/sn-platform-slim/values.yaml
@@ -155,10 +155,12 @@ images:
     repository: streamnative/sn-platform-slim
     tag: "3.3.3.3"
     pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
+    # deprecated: use images.busybox instead
     busybox:
       repository: busybox
       tag: "1.36.1-uclibc"
       pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
+    # deprecated: use images.kubectl instead
     kubectl:
       repository: docker-proxy.streamnative.io/bitnamilegacy/kubectl
       tag: "1.28.3"
diff --git a/charts/sn-platform/templates/_helpers.tpl b/charts/sn-platform/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 964e97ea3..7fa675e54 100644
--- a/charts/sn-platform/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/charts/sn-platform/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -1,5 +1,63 @@
 {{/* vim: set filetype=mustache: */}}
 
+{{/*
+Resolve busybox image fields with backward compatibility.
+Prefer deprecated .Values.images.toolset.busybox when present so existing overrides
+continue to work after top-level defaults are introduced.
+*/}}
+{{- define "pulsar.images.busybox.repository" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "busybox") .Values.images.toolset.busybox.repository -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.busybox.repository -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "busybox") .Values.images.busybox.repository -}}
+{{- .Values.images.busybox.repository -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{- define "pulsar.images.busybox.tag" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "busybox") .Values.images.toolset.busybox.tag -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.busybox.tag -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "busybox") .Values.images.busybox.tag -}}
+{{- .Values.images.busybox.tag -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{- define "pulsar.images.busybox.pullPolicy" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "busybox") .Values.images.toolset.busybox.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.busybox.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "busybox") .Values.images.busybox.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- .Values.images.busybox.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{/*
+Resolve kubectl image fields with backward compatibility.
+Prefer deprecated .Values.images.toolset.kubectl when present so existing overrides
+continue to work after top-level defaults are introduced.
+*/}}
+{{- define "pulsar.images.kubectl.repository" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "kubectl") .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.repository -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.repository -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "kubectl") .Values.images.kubectl.repository -}}
+{{- .Values.images.kubectl.repository -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{- define "pulsar.images.kubectl.tag" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "kubectl") .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.tag -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.tag -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "kubectl") .Values.images.kubectl.tag -}}
+{{- .Values.images.kubectl.tag -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
+{{- define "pulsar.images.kubectl.pullPolicy" -}}
+{{- if and (hasKey .Values.images "toolset") (hasKey .Values.images.toolset "kubectl") .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- else if and (hasKey .Values.images "kubectl") .Values.images.kubectl.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- .Values.images.kubectl.pullPolicy -}}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
+
 {{/*
 pulsar home
 */}}
diff --git a/charts/sn-platform/templates/toolset/jwt-secret-init-job.yaml b/charts/sn-platform/templates/toolset/jwt-secret-init-job.yaml
index 9aef70a3b..e6896b2d9 100644
--- a/charts/sn-platform/templates/toolset/jwt-secret-init-job.yaml
+++ b/charts/sn-platform/templates/toolset/jwt-secret-init-job.yaml
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ spec:
         emptyDir: {}
       initContainers:
       - name: "kubectl"
-        image: "{{ .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.repository }}:{{ .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.tag }}"
-        imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.images.toolset.kubectl.pullPolicy }}
+        image: "{{ include "pulsar.images.kubectl.repository" . }}:{{ include "pulsar.images.kubectl.tag" . }}"
+        imagePullPolicy: {{ include "pulsar.images.kubectl.pullPolicy" . }}
         command: ["cp", "/opt/bitnami/kubectl/bin/kubectl", "/tmp/binaries"]
       {{- if .Values.toolset.resources }}
         resources:
diff --git a/charts/sn-platform/templates/toolset/toolset-statefulset.yaml b/charts/sn-platform/templates/toolset/toolset-statefulset.yaml
index cbe7118b8..634147f21 100644
--- a/charts/sn-platform/templates/toolset/toolset-statefulset.yaml
+++ b/charts/sn-platform/templates/toolset/toolset-statefulset.yaml
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ spec:
       {{- end }}
       {{- if .Values.toolset.installBusybox }}
       - name: busybox
-        image: "{{ .Values.images.toolset.busybox.repository }}:{{ .Values.images.toolset.busybox.tag }}"
-        imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.images.toolset.busybox.pullPolicy }}
+        image: "{{ include "pulsar.images.busybox.repository" . }}:{{ include "pulsar.images.busybox.tag" . }}"
+        imagePullPolicy: {{ include "pulsar.images.busybox.pullPolicy" . }}
       {{- if .Values.toolset.resources }}
         resources:
 {{ toYaml .Values.toolset.resources | indent 10 }}
diff --git a/charts/sn-platform/values.yaml b/charts/sn-platform/values.yaml
index 3e38dcc7f..0d4004a8d 100644
--- a/charts/sn-platform/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/sn-platform/values.yaml
@@ -182,10 +182,12 @@ images:
       repository: bitnami/kafka
       tag: "3.5.1"
       pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
+    # deprecated: use images.busybox instead
     busybox:
       repository: busybox
       tag: "1.36.1-uclibc"
       pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
+    # deprecated: use images.kubectl instead
     kubectl:
       repository: docker-proxy.streamnative.io/bitnamilegacy/kubectl
       tag: "1.28.3"