diff --git a/.github/workflows/canary-integration-test.yml b/.github/workflows/canary-integration-test.yml
index 528a43a14..e8e5965d1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/canary-integration-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/canary-integration-test.yml
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: validate-yaml
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh validate_yaml
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: validate-yaml
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh validate_yaml
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: validate-yaml
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh validate_yaml
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: validate-yaml
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh validate_yaml
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: validate-yaml
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh validate_yaml
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk and create partitions for osds
         run: |
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh use_local_disk
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh use_local_disk
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk and create partitions for osds
         run: |
@@ -943,7 +943,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh use_local_disk
@@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh use_local_disk
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk and create partitions for osds
         run: |
@@ -1147,7 +1147,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk and create partitions for osds
         run: |
@@ -1213,7 +1213,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "tests/manifests/test-cluster-on-pvc-encrypted.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: create cluster prerequisites
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh create_cluster_prerequisites
@@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk into two partitions
         run: |
@@ -1525,12 +1525,12 @@ jobs:
         with:
           use-tmate: ${{ secrets.USE_TMATE }}
 
-      - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
-
       - name: setup cluster resources
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
+      - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
+
       - name: install additional deps for object testing
         shell: bash --noprofile --norc -eo pipefail -x {0}
         run: |
@@ -1658,19 +1658,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
-
-      - name: install deps
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -eo pipefail -x {0}
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh install_deps
-
-      - name: print k8s cluster status
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -eo pipefail -x {0}
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh print_k8s_cluster_status
-
-      - name: build rook
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -eo pipefail -x {0}
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh build_rook
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: allow holder pod deployment
         run: sed -i "s|CSI_DISABLE_HOLDER_PODS|# CSI_DISABLE_HOLDER_PODS|g" "deploy/examples/operator.yaml"
@@ -1744,7 +1732,7 @@ jobs:
         run: sed -i "s|CSI_DISABLE_HOLDER_PODS|# CSI_DISABLE_HOLDER_PODS|g" "deploy/examples/operator.yaml"
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: use local disk and create partitions for osds
         run: |
@@ -1799,7 +1787,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/workflows/canary-test-config
 
       - name: set Ceph version in CephCluster manifest
-        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ github.event.inputs.ceph-image }}"
+        run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh replace_ceph_image  "deploy/examples/cluster-test.yaml" "${{ matrix.ceph-image }}"
 
       - name: validate-yaml
         run: tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh validate_yaml
diff --git a/tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh b/tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh
index 4b36bd78e..275355624 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh
+++ b/tests/scripts/github-action-helper.sh
@@ -265,12 +265,15 @@ function deploy_toolbox() {
 }
 
 function replace_ceph_image() {
-  local file="$1"           # parameter 1: the file in which to replace the ceph image
-  local ceph_image="${2:-}" # parameter 2: the new ceph image to use
-  if [[ -z ${ceph_image} ]]; then
-    echo "No Ceph image given. Not adjusting manifests."
-    return 0
+  local file="$1"  # parameter 1: the file in which to replace the ceph image
+  local ceph_image="${2?ceph_image is required}"  # parameter 2: the new ceph image to use
+
+  # check for ceph_image being an empty string
+  if [ -z "$ceph_image" ]; then
+    echo "ceph_image may not be an empty string"
+    exit 1
   fi
+
   sed -i "s|image: .*ceph/ceph:.*|image: ${ceph_image}|g" "${file}"
 }