diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index ff78000300..b92f48d25a 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -240,26 +240,27 @@ func InitFlags(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 // +kubebuilder:rbac:groups=infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io,resources=vspheremachinetemplates;vsphereclustertemplates,verbs=get;list;watch;patch;update
 
 func main() {
-	setupLog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Version: %+v", version.Get().String()))
-
 	InitFlags(pflag.CommandLine)
 	pflag.CommandLine.SetNormalizeFunc(cliflag.WordSepNormalizeFunc)
 	pflag.CommandLine.AddGoFlagSet(flag.CommandLine)
 	// Set log level 2 as default.
 	if err := pflag.CommandLine.Set("v", "2"); err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "failed to set default log level")
+		fmt.Printf("Failed to set default log level: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	pflag.Parse()
 
 	if err := logsv1.ValidateAndApply(logOptions, nil); err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "unable to start manager")
+		fmt.Printf("Unable to start manager: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	// klog.Background will automatically use the right logger.
 	ctrl.SetLogger(klog.Background())
 
+	// Note: setupLog can only be used after ctrl.SetLogger was called
+	setupLog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Version: %s (git commit: %s)", version.Get().String(), version.Get().GitCommit))
+
 	managerOpts.KubeConfig = ctrl.GetConfigOrDie()
 	managerOpts.KubeConfig.QPS = restConfigQPS
 	managerOpts.KubeConfig.Burst = restConfigBurst
diff --git a/test/extension/main.go b/test/extension/main.go
index af0a434a68..0cc1206a29 100644
--- a/test/extension/main.go
+++ b/test/extension/main.go
@@ -170,15 +170,13 @@ func InitFlags(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 // +kubebuilder:rbac:groups=authorization.k8s.io,resources=subjectaccessreviews,verbs=create
 
 func main() {
-	setupLog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Version: %+v", version.Get().String()))
-
 	// Initialize and parse command line flags.
 	InitFlags(pflag.CommandLine)
 	pflag.CommandLine.SetNormalizeFunc(cliflag.WordSepNormalizeFunc)
 	pflag.CommandLine.AddGoFlagSet(flag.CommandLine)
 	// Set log level 2 as default.
 	if err := pflag.CommandLine.Set("v", "2"); err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "Failed to set default log level")
+		fmt.Printf("Failed to set default log level: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	pflag.Parse()
@@ -187,7 +185,7 @@ func main() {
 	// so klog will automatically use the right logger.
 	// NOTE: klog is the log of choice of component-base machinery.
 	if err := logsv1.ValidateAndApply(logOptions, nil); err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "Unable to start extension")
+		fmt.Printf("Unable to start manager: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
@@ -197,6 +195,9 @@ func main() {
 	// requiring an addition log parameter in all the functions).
 	ctrl.SetLogger(klog.Background())
 
+	// Note: setupLog can only be used after ctrl.SetLogger was called
+	setupLog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Version: %s (git commit: %s)", version.Get().String(), version.Get().GitCommit))
+
 	restConfig := ctrl.GetConfigOrDie()
 	restConfig.QPS = restConfigQPS
 	restConfig.Burst = restConfigBurst
diff --git a/test/infrastructure/net-operator/main.go b/test/infrastructure/net-operator/main.go
index 6aec2eed22..c5f2a3ff1a 100644
--- a/test/infrastructure/net-operator/main.go
+++ b/test/infrastructure/net-operator/main.go
@@ -137,26 +137,27 @@ func InitFlags(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 // +kubebuilder:rbac:groups=authorization.k8s.io,resources=subjectaccessreviews,verbs=create
 
 func main() {
-	setupLog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Version: %+v", version.Get().String()))
-
 	InitFlags(pflag.CommandLine)
 	pflag.CommandLine.SetNormalizeFunc(cliflag.WordSepNormalizeFunc)
 	pflag.CommandLine.AddGoFlagSet(flag.CommandLine)
 	// Set log level 2 as default.
 	if err := pflag.CommandLine.Set("v", "2"); err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "failed to set default log level")
+		fmt.Printf("Failed to set default log level: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	pflag.Parse()
 
 	if err := logsv1.ValidateAndApply(logOptions, nil); err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "unable to start manager")
+		fmt.Printf("Unable to start manager: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	// klog.Background will automatically use the right logger.
 	ctrl.SetLogger(klog.Background())
 
+	// Note: setupLog can only be used after ctrl.SetLogger was called
+	setupLog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Version: %s (git commit: %s)", version.Get().String(), version.Get().GitCommit))
+
 	restConfig := ctrl.GetConfigOrDie()
 	restConfig.QPS = restConfigQPS
 	restConfig.Burst = restConfigBurst
diff --git a/test/infrastructure/vcsim/main.go b/test/infrastructure/vcsim/main.go
index 1c8c56a757..578e665a59 100644
--- a/test/infrastructure/vcsim/main.go
+++ b/test/infrastructure/vcsim/main.go
@@ -179,26 +179,27 @@ func InitFlags(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 // +kubebuilder:rbac:groups=authorization.k8s.io,resources=subjectaccessreviews,verbs=create
 
 func main() {
-	setupLog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Version: %+v", version.Get().String()))
-
 	InitFlags(pflag.CommandLine)
 	pflag.CommandLine.SetNormalizeFunc(cliflag.WordSepNormalizeFunc)
 	pflag.CommandLine.AddGoFlagSet(flag.CommandLine)
 	// Set log level 2 as default.
 	if err := pflag.CommandLine.Set("v", "2"); err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "failed to set default log level")
+		fmt.Printf("Failed to set default log level: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	pflag.Parse()
 
 	if err := logsv1.ValidateAndApply(logOptions, nil); err != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(err, "unable to start manager")
+		fmt.Printf("Unable to start manager: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	// klog.Background will automatically use the right logger.
 	ctrl.SetLogger(klog.Background())
 
+	// Note: setupLog can only be used after ctrl.SetLogger was called
+	setupLog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Version: %s (git commit: %s)", version.Get().String(), version.Get().GitCommit))
+
 	restConfig := ctrl.GetConfigOrDie()
 	restConfig.QPS = restConfigQPS
 	restConfig.Burst = restConfigBurst