diff --git a/upstream/kustomization.yaml b/upstream/kustomization.yaml
--- a/upstream/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/upstream/kustomization.yaml
@@ -13,3 +13,16 @@ patchesStrategicMerge:
 #       - op: add
 #         path: /spec/template/spec/containers/0/args/-
 #         value: "--debug"
+
+  # fix for a digitalocean/dns issue https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/issues/2485#issuecomment-1167314615
+  - target:
+      kind: Deployment
+      name: cert-manager
+      namespace: cert-manager
+    patch: |-
+      - op: add
+        path: /spec/template/spec/containers/0/args/-
+        value: "--dns01-recursive-nameservers-only"
+      - op: add
+        path: /spec/template/spec/containers/0/args/-
+        value: "--dns01-recursive-nameservers=8.8.8.8:53,1.1.1.1:53"
\ No newline at end of file