diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/version.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/version.go
index fde92d49d5b4..9a58b24b14de 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/version.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/version.go
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ func diffImageSpecAndClusterRunningVersion(imageSpecVersion cephver.CephVersion,
 			}
 
 			if cephver.IsInferior(imageSpecVersion, clusterRunningVersion) {
-				return true, errors.Errorf("image spec version %s is lower than the running cluster version %s, downgrading is not supported", imageSpecVersion.String(), clusterRunningVersion.String())
+				logger.Warningf("image spec version %s is lower than the running cluster version %s, downgrading is not supported", imageSpecVersion.String(), clusterRunningVersion.String())
+				return true, nil
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/version_test.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/version_test.go
index 81a587c12300..628ea49166cd 100755
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/version_test.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/version_test.go
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ func TestDiffImageSpecAndClusterRunningVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(fakeRunningVersions), &dummyRunningVersions3)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
+	// Allow the downgrade
 	m, err = diffImageSpecAndClusterRunningVersion(fakeImageVersion, dummyRunningVersions3)
-	assert.Error(t, err)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.True(t, m)
 
 	// 4 test - spec version is higher than running cluster --> we upgrade