diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/csi/csi.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/csi/csi.go
index a207619ec..b0a58cd3d 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/csi/csi.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/csi/csi.go
@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 func ValidateAndConfigureDrivers(clientset kubernetes.Interface, namespace, rookImage, securityAccount string, serverVersion *version.Info, ownerRef *metav1.OwnerReference) {
-	if err := validateCSIVersion(clientset, namespace, rookImage, securityAccount, ownerRef); err != nil {
-		logger.Errorf("invalid csi version. %+v", err)
-		return
+	if !AllowUnsupported {
+		if err := validateCSIVersion(clientset, namespace, rookImage, securityAccount, ownerRef); err != nil {
+			logger.Errorf("invalid csi version. %+v", err)
+			return
+		}
+	} else {
+		logger.Info("Skipping csi version check, since unsupported versions are allowed")
 	}
 
 	if err := startDrivers(clientset, namespace, serverVersion, ownerRef); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/csi/spec.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/csi/spec.go
index 3cd642cc5..af2571a4a 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/csi/spec.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/csi/spec.go
@@ -627,10 +627,6 @@ func validateCSIVersion(clientset kubernetes.Interface, namespace, rookImage, se
 
 	version, err := extractCephCSIVersion(stdout)
 	if err != nil {
-		if AllowUnsupported {
-			logger.Infof("failed to extract csi version, but continuing since unsupported versions are allowed. %v", err)
-			return nil
-		}
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to extract ceph CSI version")
 	}
 	logger.Infof("Detected ceph CSI image version: %q", version)