diff --git a/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/core.py b/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/core.py
index 8ac5d079496..bd5446187e8 100644
--- a/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/core.py
+++ b/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/core.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 import json
 import logging
 import os
-import re
 import socket
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@
     pull_image,
 )
 from .errors import ServiceBadFormattedOutputError
-from .models import LEGACY_INTEGRATION_VERSION, PROGRESS_REGEXP
+from .models import LEGACY_INTEGRATION_VERSION, ImageLabels
 from .task_shared_volume import TaskSharedVolumes
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -195,15 +194,9 @@ async def run(self, command: list[str]) -> TaskOutputData:
                 self._publish_sidecar_log,
             )
 
-            integration_version: version.Version = LEGACY_INTEGRATION_VERSION
-            progress_regexp: re.Pattern[str] = PROGRESS_REGEXP
-            if image_labels := await get_image_labels(
+            image_labels: ImageLabels = await get_image_labels(
                 docker_client, self.docker_auth, self.service_key, self.service_version
-            ):
-                if iversion := image_labels.integration_version:
-                    integration_version = version.Version(iversion)
-                if pregexp := image_labels.progress_regexp:
-                    progress_regexp = re.compile(pregexp)
+            )
             computational_shared_data_mount_point = (
                 await get_computational_shared_data_mount_point(docker_client)
             )
@@ -218,7 +211,9 @@ async def run(self, command: list[str]) -> TaskOutputData:
                 envs=self.task_envs,
                 labels=self.task_labels,
             )
-            await self._write_input_data(task_volumes, integration_version)
+            await self._write_input_data(
+                task_volumes, image_labels.get_integration_version()
+            )
 
             # PROCESSING
             async with managed_container(
@@ -227,11 +222,11 @@ async def run(self, command: list[str]) -> TaskOutputData:
                 name=f"{self.service_key.split(sep='/')[-1]}_{run_id}",
             ) as container, managed_monitor_container_log_task(
                 container=container,
-                progress_regexp=progress_regexp,
+                progress_regexp=image_labels.get_progress_regexp(),
                 service_key=self.service_key,
                 service_version=self.service_version,
                 task_publishers=self.task_publishers,
-                integration_version=integration_version,
+                integration_version=image_labels.get_integration_version(),
                 task_volumes=task_volumes,
                 log_file_url=self.log_file_url,
                 log_publishing_cb=self._publish_sidecar_log,
@@ -261,7 +256,7 @@ async def run(self, command: list[str]) -> TaskOutputData:
 
             # POST-PROCESSING
             results = await self._retrieve_output_data(
-                task_volumes, integration_version
+                task_volumes, image_labels.get_integration_version()
             )
             await self._publish_sidecar_log("Task completed successfully.")
             return results
diff --git a/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/docker_utils.py b/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/docker_utils.py
index 84a31de1d29..229b3676afd 100644
--- a/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/docker_utils.py
+++ b/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/docker_utils.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
     ContainerTag,
     LogFileUploadURL,
 )
-from models_library.services import ServiceDockerData
 from models_library.services_resources import BootMode
 from models_library.utils.labels_annotations import OSPARC_LABEL_PREFIXES, from_labels
 from packaging import version
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@
     LEGACY_INTEGRATION_VERSION,
     ContainerHostConfig,
     DockerContainerConfig,
+    ImageLabels,
 )
 from .task_shared_volume import TaskSharedVolumes
 
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ async def get_image_labels(
     docker_auth: DockerBasicAuth,
     service_key: ContainerImage,
     service_version: ContainerTag,
-) -> ServiceDockerData | None:
+) -> ImageLabels:
     image_cfg = await docker_client.images.inspect(
         f"{docker_auth.server_address}/{service_key}:{service_version}"
     )
@@ -425,8 +425,8 @@ async def get_image_labels(
         data = from_labels(
             image_labels, prefix_key=OSPARC_LABEL_PREFIXES[0], trim_key_head=False
         )
-        return parse_obj_as(ServiceDockerData, data)
-    return None
+        return parse_obj_as(ImageLabels, data)
+    return ImageLabels()
 
 
 async def get_computational_shared_data_mount_point(docker_client: Docker) -> Path:
diff --git a/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/models.py b/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/models.py
index 7b0fca9cbf1..35cb539ca75 100644
--- a/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/models.py
+++ b/services/dask-sidecar/src/simcore_service_dask_sidecar/computational_sidecar/models.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import re
 
+from models_library.basic_types import VERSION_RE
+from models_library.services import ServiceDockerData
 from packaging import version
-from pydantic import BaseModel, ByteSize, Field, validator
+from pydantic import BaseModel, ByteSize, Extra, Field, validator
 
 LEGACY_INTEGRATION_VERSION = version.Version("0")
 PROGRESS_REGEXP: re.Pattern[str] = re.compile(
@@ -62,3 +64,46 @@ class DockerContainerConfig(BaseModel):
     image: str = Field(..., alias="Image")
     labels: dict[str, str] = Field(..., alias="Labels")
     host_config: ContainerHostConfig = Field(..., alias="HostConfig")
+
+
+class ImageLabels(BaseModel):
+    integration_version: str = Field(
+        default=LEGACY_INTEGRATION_VERSION,
+        alias="integration-version",
+        description="integration version number",
+        regex=VERSION_RE,
+        examples=["1.0.0"],
+    )
+    progress_regexp: str = Field(
+        default=PROGRESS_REGEXP,
+        alias="progress_regexp",
+        description="regexp pattern for detecting computational service's progress",
+    )
+
+    class Config:
+        extra = Extra.ignore
+
+    @validator("integration_version", pre=True)
+    @classmethod
+    def default_integration_version(cls, v):
+        if v is None:
+            return ImageLabels().integration_version
+        return v
+
+    @validator("progress_regexp", pre=True)
+    @classmethod
+    def default_progress_regexp(cls, v):
+        if v is None:
+            return ImageLabels().progress_regexp
+        return v
+
+    def get_integration_version(self) -> version.Version:
+        return version.Version(self.integration_version)
+
+    def get_progress_regexp(self) -> re.Pattern[str]:
+        return re.compile(self.progress_regexp)
+
+
+assert set(ImageLabels.__fields__).issubset(
+    ServiceDockerData.__fields__
+), "ImageLabels must be compatible with ServiceDockerData"