diff --git a/upgrade/scripts/upgrade/prerequisites.sh b/upgrade/scripts/upgrade/prerequisites.sh
index 3a354eafa7c6..5c68280dad3e 100755
--- a/upgrade/scripts/upgrade/prerequisites.sh
+++ b/upgrade/scripts/upgrade/prerequisites.sh
@@ -760,15 +760,26 @@ if [[ ${state_recorded} == "0" && $(hostname) == "${PRIMARY_NODE}" ]]; then
     # This will only be the case in some CSM 1.6 to CSM 1.6 upgrades.
     # It only needs to be checked if cert-manager is not already being upgraded.
     if [ "${needs_upgrade}" -eq 0 ]; then
-      drydock_vers=$(helm get metadata -n loftsman cray-drydock -o json | jq -r '.version')
+      drydock_vers=$(helm get values -n loftsman cray-drydock | grep version: | sed 's/ *version: //')
       major=2
       minor=18
       patch=4
-      if [[ $(echo "$drydock_vers" | cut -d. -f1) -eq $major ]] && [[ $(echo "$drydock_vers" | cut -d. -f2) -eq $minor ]] && [[ $(echo "$drydock_vers" | cut -d. -f3) -lt $patch ]]; then
-        ((needs_upgrade += 1))
-        echo "Cray-drydock version: $drydock_vers is installed and needs to be upgraded. Cray-drydock will be upgraded and the cert-manager namespace will be redeployed."
+      drydock_major="${drydock_vers%%.*}"
+      drydock_minor_patch="${drydock_vers#*.}" # temp
+      drydock_patch="${drydock_minor_patch#*.}"
+      drydock_minor="${drydock_minor_patch%.*}"
+      if [ $drydock_major -lt $major ]; then
+        needs_upgrade=1
+      elif [ $drydock_major -eq $major ] && [ $drydock_minor -lt $minor ]; then
+        needs_upgrade=1
+      elif [ $drydock_major -eq $major ] && [ $drydock_minor -eq $minor ] && [ $drydock_patch -lt $patch ]; then
+        needs_upgrade=1
       elif [[ $drydock_vers == "" ]]; then
-        ((needs_upgrade += 1))
+        needs_upgrade=1
+      fi
+      if [ $needs_upgrade -ne 0 ]; then
+        echo "cray-drydock version [$drydock_vers] less than $major.$minor.$patch and needs to be upgraded."
+        echo "Cray-drydock will be upgraded and the cert-manager namespace will be redeployed."
       fi
     fi