diff --git a/templates/cluster-template-aws.yaml b/templates/cluster-template-aws.yaml
index 808942c..645f6e2 100644
--- a/templates/cluster-template-aws.yaml
+++ b/templates/cluster-template-aws.yaml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ spec:
       kind: AWSMachineTemplate
       name: "${CLUSTER_NAME}-control-plane"
   replicas: ${CONTROL_PLANE_MACHINE_COUNT:=1}
-  version: "${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
+  version: "v${KUBERNETES_VERSION}"
   upgradeStrategy: "${UPGRADE_STRATEGY}"
 ---
 apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta2