diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/mgr/dashboard.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/mgr/dashboard.go
index 1281f08cc..003b73e67 100755
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/mgr/dashboard.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/mgr/dashboard.go
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) initializeSecureDashboard() (bool, error) {
 		return false, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to set login credentials for the ceph dashboard")
 	}
 
-	return true, nil
+	return false, nil
 }
 
 func (c *Cluster) createSelfSignedCert() (bool, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/mgr/dashboard_test.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/mgr/dashboard_test.go
index 6085cfcb6..f0718c589 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/mgr/dashboard_test.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/mgr/dashboard_test.go
@@ -131,10 +131,9 @@ func TestStartSecureDashboard(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	err = c.configureDashboardModules()
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	// the dashboard is enabled, then disabled and enabled again to restart
-	// it with the cert, and another restart when setting the dashboard port
-	assert.Equal(t, 2, enables)
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, disables)
+	// the dashboard is enabled once with the new dashboard and modules
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, enables)
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, disables)
 	assert.Equal(t, 2, moduleRetries)
 
 	svc, err := c.context.Clientset.CoreV1().Services(clusterInfo.Namespace).Get(ctx, "rook-ceph-mgr-dashboard", metav1.GetOptions{})
@@ -147,8 +146,8 @@ func TestStartSecureDashboard(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	err = c.configureDashboardModules()
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, 2, enables)
-	assert.Equal(t, 2, disables)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, enables)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, disables)
 
 	svc, err = c.context.Clientset.CoreV1().Services(clusterInfo.Namespace).Get(ctx, "rook-ceph-mgr-dashboard", metav1.GetOptions{})
 	assert.NotNil(t, err)