diff --git a/kube-fluentd-operator.yaml b/kube-fluentd-operator.yaml
index f3cd114078e..d54b8fa8a4a 100644
--- a/kube-fluentd-operator.yaml
+++ b/kube-fluentd-operator.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package:
   name: kube-fluentd-operator
   version: 1.17.4
-  epoch: 3
+  epoch: 4
   description: Auto-configuration of Fluentd daemon-set based on Kubernetes metadata
   copyright:
     - license: MIT
@@ -49,10 +49,13 @@ pipeline:
       expected-commit: 0310b4eb0ed747c0eb192db998d67dead5faa1b7
 
   - runs: |
+      echo 'gem: --no-rdoc --no-ri' >> ~/.gemrc
+
       cd base-image
       GEM_DIR=${{targets.destdir}}$(ruby -e 'puts Gem.default_dir')
       mkdir -p ${GEM_DIR}
       bundle config set --local path ${GEM_DIR}
+      bundle config set --local without 'development test'
       bundle install
 
       mkdir -p ${{targets.destdir}}/etc/fluent/plugin
@@ -66,8 +69,12 @@ pipeline:
       git checkout ${{vars.FLUENT_PLUGIN_GOOGLE_CLOUD_COMMIT}}
 
       bundle config set --local path ${GEM_DIR}
+      bundle config set --local without 'development test'
       bundle install
 
+      # remove cache to avoid including it in the package
+      rm -rf ${{targets.destdir}}/$(ruby -e "puts File.join(Gem.default_dir, 'ruby', RbConfig::CONFIG['ruby_version'])")/cache
+
   - uses: strip
 
   - runs: |