diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/store.h b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/store.h
index 073e0f513f213..85203c293272b 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/store.h
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/store.h
@@ -398,8 +398,8 @@ class store {
       const subject& sub, schema_id id, include_deleted inc_del) const {
         auto sub_it = BOOST_OUTCOME_TRYX(get_subject_iter(sub, inc_del));
         const auto& vs = sub_it->second.versions;
-        return std::any_of(vs.cbegin(), vs.cend(), [id](const auto& entry) {
-            return entry.id == id;
+        return absl::c_any_of(vs, [id, inc_del](const auto& entry) {
+            return entry.id == id && (inc_del || !entry.deleted);
         });
     }