diff --git a/cli/internal/helm/client.go b/cli/internal/helm/client.go
index f736ebee4..67b6e244f 100644
--- a/cli/internal/helm/client.go
+++ b/cli/internal/helm/client.go
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ func (c *Client) upgradeRelease(
 ) error {
 	// We need to load all values that can be statically loaded before merging them with the cluster
 	// values. Otherwise the templates are not rendered correctly.
-	k8sVersion, err := versions.NewValidK8sVersion(conf.KubernetesVersion, true)
+	k8sVersion, err := versions.NewValidK8sVersion(conf.KubernetesVersion, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("validating k8s version: %s", conf.KubernetesVersion)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/versions/versions.go b/internal/versions/versions.go
index 234d6bdf5..e0e258f29 100644
--- a/internal/versions/versions.go
+++ b/internal/versions/versions.go
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ type ValidK8sVersion string
 // NewValidK8sVersion validates the given string and produces a new ValidK8sVersion object.
 // Returns an empty string if the given version is invalid.
 // strict controls whether the patch version is checked or not.
+// If strict is false, the patch version is ignored and the returned
+// ValidK8sVersion is a supported patch version for the given major.minor version.
 func NewValidK8sVersion(k8sVersion string, strict bool) (ValidK8sVersion, error) {
 	var supported bool
 	if strict {
@@ -49,11 +51,14 @@ func NewValidK8sVersion(k8sVersion string, strict bool) (ValidK8sVersion, error)
 	} else {
 		supported = isSupportedK8sVersion(k8sVersion)
 	}
-
-	if supported {
-		return ValidK8sVersion(k8sVersion), nil
+	if !supported {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("invalid Kubernetes version: %s", k8sVersion)
 	}
-	return "", fmt.Errorf("invalid Kubernetes version: %s", k8sVersion)
+	if !strict {
+		k8sVersion, _ = supportedVersionForMajorMinor(k8sVersion)
+	}
+
+	return ValidK8sVersion(k8sVersion), nil
 }
 
 // IsSupportedK8sVersion checks if a given Kubernetes minor version is supported by Constellation.
@@ -82,6 +87,16 @@ func IsPreviewK8sVersion(_ ValidK8sVersion) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func supportedVersionForMajorMinor(majorMinor string) (string, bool) {
+	majorMinor = semver.MajorMinor(majorMinor)
+	for _, valid := range SupportedK8sVersions() {
+		if semver.MajorMinor(valid) == majorMinor {
+			return valid, true
+		}
+	}
+	return "", false
+}
+
 const (
 	//
 	// Constellation images.