diff --git a/tests/framework/installer/ceph_installer.go b/tests/framework/installer/ceph_installer.go
index f00c52e02..95416fd53 100644
--- a/tests/framework/installer/ceph_installer.go
+++ b/tests/framework/installer/ceph_installer.go
@@ -468,11 +468,6 @@ func (h *CephInstaller) GetNodeHostnames() ([]string, error) {
 }
 
 func (h *CephInstaller) InstallCSIOperator() error {
-	if h.settings.RookVersion == Version1_17 {
-		logger.Infof("Skipping the CSI operator installation for previous version of Rook")
-		return nil
-	}
-
 	logger.Infof("Starting the CSI operator")
 	_, err := h.k8shelper.KubectlWithStdin(h.Manifests.GetCSIOperator(), createFromStdinArgs...)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/tests/framework/installer/ceph_manifests.go b/tests/framework/installer/ceph_manifests.go
index 04b71914a..8266d4da7 100644
--- a/tests/framework/installer/ceph_manifests.go
+++ b/tests/framework/installer/ceph_manifests.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func NewCephManifests(settings *TestCephSettings) CephManifests {
 	switch settings.RookVersion {
 	case LocalBuildTag:
 		return &CephManifestsMaster{settings}
-	case Version1_17:
+	case Version1_18:
 		return &CephManifestsPreviousVersion{settings, &CephManifestsMaster{settings}}
 	}
 	panic(fmt.Errorf("unrecognized ceph manifest version: %s", settings.RookVersion))
diff --git a/tests/framework/installer/ceph_manifests_previous.go b/tests/framework/installer/ceph_manifests_previous.go
index a2c247326..2cfa5f4f7 100644
--- a/tests/framework/installer/ceph_manifests_previous.go
+++ b/tests/framework/installer/ceph_manifests_previous.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	// The version from which the upgrade test will start
-	Version1_17 = "v1.17.7"
+	Version1_18 = "v1.18.8"
 )
 
 // CephManifestsPreviousVersion wraps rook yaml definitions
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ func (m *CephManifestsPreviousVersion) GetCSINFSRBAC() string {
 }
 
 func (m *CephManifestsPreviousVersion) GetCSIOperator() string {
-	return "not-supported"
+	manifest := m.settings.readManifestFromGitHub("csi-operator.yaml")
+	return m.settings.replaceCSIOperatorSettings(m.settings.OperatorNamespace, manifest)
 }
 
 // GetRookOperator returns rook Operator manifest
diff --git a/tests/integration/ceph_upgrade_test.go b/tests/integration/ceph_upgrade_test.go
index 6d66bb766..7fccac587 100644
--- a/tests/integration/ceph_upgrade_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/ceph_upgrade_test.go
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func (s *UpgradeSuite) TestUpgradeHelm() {
 }
 
 func (s *UpgradeSuite) testUpgrade(useHelm bool, initialCephVersion v1.CephVersionSpec) {
-	baseRookImage := installer.Version1_17
+	baseRookImage := installer.Version1_18
 	s.baseSetup(useHelm, baseRookImage, initialCephVersion)
 
 	objectUserID := "upgraded-user"
@@ -454,9 +454,7 @@ func (s *UpgradeSuite) upgradeToMaster() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	require.NoError(s.T(), s.installer.InstallCSIOperator())
-	require.NoError(s.T(), s.installer.SetOperatorSetting("ROOK_USE_CSI_OPERATOR", "true"))
-
+	require.NoError(s.T(), s.k8sh.ResourceOperation("apply", s.installer.Manifests.GetCSIOperator()))
 	require.NoError(s.T(), s.k8sh.ResourceOperation("apply", s.installer.Manifests.GetCRDs(s.k8sh)))
 
 	require.NoError(s.T(), s.k8sh.ResourceOperation("apply", s.installer.Manifests.GetCommon()))