diff --git a/charts/local-kafka/Chart.yaml b/charts/local-kafka/Chart.yaml
index 9c62821..6734c94 100644
--- a/charts/local-kafka/Chart.yaml
+++ b/charts/local-kafka/Chart.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ apiVersion: v2
 name: local-kafka
 description: Local Development spinup of Strimzi-managed Kafka
 type: application
-version: 0.42.0
+version: 0.42.1
 appVersion: latest
 maintainers:
   - name: diranged
diff --git a/charts/local-kafka/README.md b/charts/local-kafka/README.md
index 83d0bac..07b95ed 100644
--- a/charts/local-kafka/README.md
+++ b/charts/local-kafka/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Local Development spinup of Strimzi-managed Kafka
 
-![Version: 0.42.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/Version-0.42.0-informational?style=flat-square) ![Type: application](https://img.shields.io/badge/Type-application-informational?style=flat-square) ![AppVersion: latest](https://img.shields.io/badge/AppVersion-latest-informational?style=flat-square)
+![Version: 0.42.1](https://img.shields.io/badge/Version-0.42.1-informational?style=flat-square) ![Type: application](https://img.shields.io/badge/Type-application-informational?style=flat-square) ![AppVersion: latest](https://img.shields.io/badge/AppVersion-latest-informational?style=flat-square)
 
 [strimzi_op]: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator
 
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ project's development namespace.
 | kafka.brokerVersion | `str` | `nil` | Optional version of Kafka to install (eg, `2.8.0`) |
 | kafka.interBrokerProtocolVersion | `str` | `nil` | Optional value for the inter.broker.protocol.version property (eg. `2.8`) |
 | kafka.logMessageFormatVersion | `str` | `nil` | Optional value for the log.message.format.version property (eg, `2.7`) |
+| kafka.priorityClassName | `str` | `nil` | Optional value for the kafka cluster pod priority class name |
 | listeners | list | `[{"configuration":{"brokers":[{"advertisedHost":"127.0.0.1","broker":0,"nodePort":32000}]},"name":"external","port":9094,"tls":false,"type":"nodeport"}]` | Additional configurable listeners for connecting to brokers. |
 | namespaceOverride | string | `nil` | Optionally force the namespace that the resources in this stack are launched in. Without this, the default namespace that the Helm chart is being put into is used. It is recommended to keep this empty. |
 | strimzi-kafka-operator.enabled | bool | `true` | Set to `false` to intentionally disable installation of the Operator. This is useful if you are running this stack in a local dev environment where you might have multiple Kafka environments, and are already running the Strimzi operator. |
diff --git a/charts/local-kafka/templates/kafka.yaml b/charts/local-kafka/templates/kafka.yaml
index 0533e28..34dfc40 100644
--- a/charts/local-kafka/templates/kafka.yaml
+++ b/charts/local-kafka/templates/kafka.yaml
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ spec:
     {{- with .Values.kafka.brokerVersion }}
     version: {{ . }}
     {{- end }}
+    {{- with .Values.kafka.priorityClassName }}
+    template:
+      pod:
+        priorityClassName: {{ . }}
+    {{- end }}
     replicas: 1
     livenessProbe:
       initialDelaySeconds: 60
diff --git a/charts/local-kafka/values.yaml b/charts/local-kafka/values.yaml
index 80de3cd..5a9e8dc 100644
--- a/charts/local-kafka/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/local-kafka/values.yaml
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ kafka:
   # -- (`str`) Optional value for the inter.broker.protocol.version property (eg. `2.8`)
   interBrokerProtocolVersion:
 
+  # -- (`str`) Optional value for the kafka cluster pod priority class name
+  priorityClassName:
+
 # -- Additional configurable listeners for connecting to brokers.
 listeners:
   - name: external