diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/node/VersionInformation.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/node/VersionInformation.java
index 84b5946c8e19f..9f70c7bc27336 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/node/VersionInformation.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/node/VersionInformation.java
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ public static VersionInformation inferVersions(Version nodeVersion) {
             return null;
         } else if (nodeVersion.equals(Version.CURRENT)) {
             return CURRENT;
-        } else if (nodeVersion.before(Version.V_8_10_0)) {
+        } else if (nodeVersion.before(Version.CURRENT)) {
+            // CURRENT here is always before 8.11.0
             return new VersionInformation(
                 nodeVersion,
                 IndexVersion.fromId(nodeVersion.minimumIndexCompatibilityVersion().id),