diff --git a/pkg/splunk/enterprise/indexercluster.go b/pkg/splunk/enterprise/indexercluster.go
index 8ad327b38..c52528713 100644
--- a/pkg/splunk/enterprise/indexercluster.go
+++ b/pkg/splunk/enterprise/indexercluster.go
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func ApplyIndexerClusterManager(ctx context.Context, client splcommon.Controller
 		for _, owner := range v.GetOwnerReferences() {
 			if owner.UID == statefulSet.UID {
 				// get the pod image name
-				if v.Spec.Containers[0].Image != cr.Spec.Image {
+				if imageUpdatedTo9(v.Spec.Containers[0].Image, cr.Spec.Image) {
 					// image do not match that means its image upgrade
 					versionUpgrade = true
 					break
@@ -428,11 +428,8 @@ func ApplyIndexerCluster(ctx context.Context, client splcommon.ControllerClient,
 	for _, v := range statefulsetPods.Items {
 		for _, owner := range v.GetOwnerReferences() {
 			if owner.UID == statefulSet.UID {
-				previousImage := v.Spec.Containers[0].Image
-				currentImage := cr.Spec.Image
 				// get the pod image name
-				if strings.HasPrefix(previousImage, "8") &&
-					strings.HasPrefix(currentImage, "9") {
+				if imageUpdatedTo9(v.Spec.Containers[0].Image, cr.Spec.Image) {
 					// image do not match that means its image upgrade
 					versionUpgrade = true
 					break
@@ -1069,3 +1066,14 @@ func RetrieveCMSpec(ctx context.Context, client splcommon.ControllerClient, cr *
 
 	return "", nil
 }
+
+// Tells if there is an image migration from 8.x.x to 9.x.x
+func imageUpdatedTo9(previousImage string, currentImage string) bool {
+	// If there is no colon, version can't be detected
+	if !strings.Contains(previousImage, ":") || !strings.Contains(currentImage, ":") {
+		return false
+	}
+	previousVersion := strings.Split(previousImage, ":")[1]
+	currentVersion := strings.Split(currentImage, ":")[1]
+	return strings.HasPrefix(previousVersion, "8") && strings.HasPrefix(currentVersion, "9")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/splunk/enterprise/indexercluster_test.go b/pkg/splunk/enterprise/indexercluster_test.go
index 73bfb698b..1eeda101b 100644
--- a/pkg/splunk/enterprise/indexercluster_test.go
+++ b/pkg/splunk/enterprise/indexercluster_test.go
@@ -1875,3 +1875,21 @@ func TestIndexerClusterWithReadyState(t *testing.T) {
 		debug.PrintStack()
 	}
 }
+
+func TestImageUpdatedTo9(t *testing.T) {
+	if !imageUpdatedTo9("splunk/splunk:8.2.6", "splunk/splunk:9.0.0") {
+		t.Errorf("Should have detected an upgrade from 8 to 9")
+	}
+	if imageUpdatedTo9("splunk/splunk:9.0.3", "splunk/splunk:9.0.4") {
+		t.Errorf("Should not have detected an upgrade from 8 to 9")
+	}
+	if imageUpdatedTo9("splunk/splunk:8.2.6", "splunk/splunk:latest") {
+		t.Errorf("Should not have detected an upgrade from 8 to 9, latest doesn't allow to know the version")
+	}
+	if imageUpdatedTo9("splunk/splunk", "splunk/splunk") {
+		t.Errorf("Should not have detected an upgrade from 8 to 9, there is no colon and version")
+	}
+	if imageUpdatedTo9("splunk/splunk:", "splunk/splunk:") {
+		t.Errorf("Should not have detected an upgrade from 8 to 9, there is no version")
+	}
+}