diff --git a/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_awsmanagedcontrolplanes.yaml b/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_awsmanagedcontrolplanes.yaml
index c33fd9df99..5527ae1945 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_awsmanagedcontrolplanes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_awsmanagedcontrolplanes.yaml
@@ -2700,7 +2700,7 @@ spec:
                   version number is supplied then the latest version of Kubernetes
                   that EKS supports will be used.
                 minLength: 2
-                pattern: ^v(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.?$
+                pattern: ^v?(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.?(\.0|[1-9][0-9]*)?$
                 type: string
               vpcCni:
                 description: VpcCni is used to set configuration options for the VPC
diff --git a/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_types.go b/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_types.go
index 3be3e756e0..d9625b568a 100644
--- a/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_types.go
+++ b/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_types.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ type AWSManagedControlPlaneSpec struct { //nolint: maligned
 	// is supplied then the latest version of Kubernetes that EKS supports
 	// will be used.
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MinLength:=2
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:Pattern:=^v(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.?$
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:Pattern:=^v?(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.?(\.0|[1-9][0-9]*)?$
 	// +optional
 	Version *string `json:"version,omitempty"`
 
diff --git a/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_webhook.go b/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_webhook.go
index 98718f3b01..768406e99b 100644
--- a/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_webhook.go
+++ b/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_webhook.go
@@ -70,15 +70,6 @@ func parseEKSVersion(raw string) (*version.Version, error) {
 	return version.MustParseGeneric(fmt.Sprintf("%d.%d", v.Major(), v.Minor())), nil
 }
 
-func normalizeVersion(raw string) (string, error) {
-	// Normalize version (i.e. remove patch, add "v" prefix) if necessary
-	eksV, err := parseEKSVersion(raw)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("v%d.%d", eksV.Major(), eksV.Minor()), nil
-}
-
 // ValidateCreate will do any extra validation when creating a AWSManagedControlPlane.
 func (r *AWSManagedControlPlane) ValidateCreate() error {
 	mcpLog.Info("AWSManagedControlPlane validate create", "name", r.Name)
@@ -376,16 +367,6 @@ func (r *AWSManagedControlPlane) Default() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Normalize version (i.e. remove patch, add "v" prefix) if necessary
-	if r.Spec.Version != nil {
-		normalizedV, err := normalizeVersion(*r.Spec.Version)
-		if err != nil {
-			mcpLog.Error(err, "couldn't parse version")
-			return
-		}
-		r.Spec.Version = &normalizedV
-	}
-
 	infrav1.SetDefaults_Bastion(&r.Spec.Bastion)
 	infrav1.SetDefaults_NetworkSpec(&r.Spec.NetworkSpec)
 }
diff --git a/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_webhook_test.go b/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_webhook_test.go
index fe9ea9faf6..3f1baab46b 100644
--- a/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_webhook_test.go
+++ b/controlplane/eks/api/v1beta1/awsmanagedcontrolplane_webhook_test.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func TestDefaultingWebhook(t *testing.T) {
 			resourceNS:   "default",
 			expectHash:   false,
 			spec:         AWSManagedControlPlaneSpec{Version: &vV1_17_1},
-			expectSpec:   AWSManagedControlPlaneSpec{EKSClusterName: "default_cluster1", Version: &vV1_17, IdentityRef: defaultIdentityRef, Bastion: defaultTestBastion, NetworkSpec: defaultNetworkSpec, TokenMethod: &EKSTokenMethodIAMAuthenticator},
+			expectSpec:   AWSManagedControlPlaneSpec{EKSClusterName: "default_cluster1", Version: &vV1_17_1, IdentityRef: defaultIdentityRef, Bastion: defaultTestBastion, NetworkSpec: defaultNetworkSpec, TokenMethod: &EKSTokenMethodIAMAuthenticator},
 		},
 		{
 			name:         "with allowed ip on bastion",