diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c3f760527..903dcac53 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ metadata:
   name: "example-etcd-cluster"
 spec:
   size: 5
-  version: "3.2.13"
+  version: "v3.2.13"
 ```
 
 Apply the size change to the cluster CR:
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ metadata:
   name: "example-etcd-cluster"
 spec:
   size: 3
-  version: "3.2.13"
+  version: "v3.2.13"
 ```
 ```
 $ kubectl apply -f example/example-etcd-cluster.yaml
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ metadata:
   name: "example-etcd-cluster"
 spec:
   size: 3
-  version: "3.1.10"
+  version: "v3.1.10"
   repository: "quay.io/coreos/etcd"
 ```
 
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ metadata:
   name: "example-etcd-cluster"
 spec:
   size: 3
-  version: "3.2.13"
+  version: "v3.2.13"
 ```
 
 Apply the version change to the cluster CR:
diff --git a/example/example-etcd-cluster.yaml b/example/example-etcd-cluster.yaml
index 8f5144122..1c2169751 100644
--- a/example/example-etcd-cluster.yaml
+++ b/example/example-etcd-cluster.yaml
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ metadata:
   #   etcd.database.coreos.com/scope: clusterwide
 spec:
   size: 3
-  version: "3.2.13"
+  version: "v3.2.13"
diff --git a/pkg/apis/etcd/v1beta2/cluster.go b/pkg/apis/etcd/v1beta2/cluster.go
index ddfe0cf62..44f2c7ca2 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/etcd/v1beta2/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/etcd/v1beta2/cluster.go
@@ -189,7 +189,8 @@ func (e *EtcdCluster) SetDefaults() {
 		c.Version = DefaultEtcdVersion
 	}
 
-	c.Version = strings.TrimLeft(c.Version, "v")
+	// not used anymore, we take the full version name as final version (not prepending v to the version)
+	// c.Version = strings.TrimLeft(c.Version, "v")
 
 	// convert PodPolicy.AntiAffinity to Pod.Affinity.PodAntiAffinity
 	// TODO: Remove this once PodPolicy.AntiAffinity is removed
diff --git a/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go b/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
index 5b3dc95ae..082775edf 100644
--- a/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
+++ b/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ fi
 }
 
 func ImageName(repo, version string) string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%s:v%v", repo, version)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", repo, version)
 }
 
 // imageNameBusybox returns the default image for busybox init container, or the image specified in the PodPolicy