fix: fail chart render when walReplica uses the unpublished image

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Upgrade notes
+- **`walReplica: true` with the default image fails to render**: no `wal-replica` image is published, so point `image.registry` or `image.walreplica.repository` at one you built.
+
 ## [1.0.0] - 2026-10-19
 
 First generally available operator release, for DocumentDB 1.0. The operator and the DocumentDB engine keep separate version numbers; this chart deploys engine `1.0.0` (extension schema `1.0-0`) by default. See [Upgrading to DocumentDB 1.0](docs/operator-public-documentation/preview/operations/upgrades.md#upgrading-to-documentdb-10).

operator/documentdb-helm-chart/templates/03_documentdb_wal_replica.yaml

@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 {{- if .Values.walReplica }}
+{{- $walRepo := include "documentdb.imageRef" (dict "name" "image.walreplica.repository" "registry" .Values.image.registry "repo" .Values.image.walreplica.repository "tag" "") }}
+{{- if eq $walRepo "ghcr.io/documentdb/documentdb-kubernetes-operator/wal-replica" }}
+{{- fail "walReplica=true: no wal-replica image is published at ghcr.io/documentdb; point image.registry or image.walreplica.repository at one you built" -}}
+{{- end }}
 apiVersion: v1
 kind: Service
 metadata:

operator/documentdb-helm-chart/tests/03_wal_replica_test.yaml

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ capabilities:
   apiVersions:
     - cert-manager.io/v1/Certificate
 
+# No wal-replica image is published upstream, so the chart requires a custom one.
+set:
+  image.registry: registry.example.com
+
 tests:
   # -------------------------------------------------------------------
   # Feature gate (walReplica)
@@ -88,14 +92,22 @@ tests:
           path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].name
           value: cnpg-i-wal-replica
 
-  - it: should use the default wal-replica image with appVersion tag
+  - it: should fail when walReplica is enabled with the unpublished default image
+    set:
+      walReplica: true
+      image.registry: ghcr.io
+    asserts:
+      - failedTemplate:
+          errorPattern: "no wal-replica image is published"
+
+  - it: should use appVersion as the tag for a custom wal-replica image
     set:
       walReplica: true
     documentIndex: 3
     asserts:
       - equal:
           path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
-          value: "ghcr.io/documentdb/documentdb-kubernetes-operator/wal-replica:1.0.0"
+          value: "registry.example.com/documentdb/documentdb-kubernetes-operator/wal-replica:1.0.0"
 
   - it: should use a custom wal-replica image tag when set
     set:
@@ -105,7 +117,7 @@ tests:
     asserts:
       - equal:
           path: spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
-          value: "ghcr.io/documentdb/documentdb-kubernetes-operator/wal-replica:v9.9.9"
+          value: "registry.example.com/documentdb/documentdb-kubernetes-operator/wal-replica:v9.9.9"
 
   # -------------------------------------------------------------------
   # RBAC