diff --git a/pkg/cvo/cvo_scenarios_test.go b/pkg/cvo/cvo_scenarios_test.go
index 1b5086ebb..3a0906cb7 100644
--- a/pkg/cvo/cvo_scenarios_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cvo/cvo_scenarios_test.go
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSync(t *testing.T) {
 	// Step 3: Given an operator image, begin synchronizing
 	//
 	o.release.Image = "image/image:1"
-	o.release.Version = "4.0.1"
-	desired := configv1.Release{Version: "4.0.1", Image: "image/image:1"}
+	o.release.Version = "1.0.0-abc"
+	desired := configv1.Release{Version: "1.0.0-abc", Image: "image/image:1"}
 	//
 	client.ClearActions()
 	err = o.sync(ctx, o.queueKey())
@@ -205,13 +205,13 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSync(t *testing.T) {
 			ObservedGeneration: 1,
 			Desired:            desired,
 			History: []configv1.UpdateHistory{
-				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "4.0.1", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime},
+				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "1.0.0-abc", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime},
 			},
 			Conditions: []configv1.ClusterOperatorStatusCondition{
 				{Type: configv1.OperatorAvailable, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
 				// cleared failing status and set progressing
 				{Type: ClusterStatusFailing, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
-				{Type: configv1.OperatorProgressing, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Working towards 4.0.1"},
+				{Type: configv1.OperatorProgressing, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Working towards 1.0.0-abc"},
 				{Type: configv1.RetrievedUpdates, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
 			},
 		},
@@ -221,8 +221,7 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSync(t *testing.T) {
 			Generation: 1,
 			Step:       "RetrievePayload",
 			Initial:    true,
-			// the desired version is briefly incorrect (user provided) until we retrieve the image
-			Actual: configv1.Release{Version: "4.0.1", Image: "image/image:1"},
+			Actual:     configv1.Release{Version: "1.0.0-abc", Image: "image/image:1"},
 		},
 		SyncWorkerStatus{
 			Generation:  1,
@@ -314,9 +313,7 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSync(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			VersionHash: "6GC9TkkG9PA=",
 			History: []configv1.UpdateHistory{
-				// Because image and operator had mismatched versions, we get two entries (which shouldn't happen unless there is a bug in the CVO)
 				{State: configv1.CompletedUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "1.0.0-abc", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
-				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "4.0.1", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
 			},
 			Conditions: []configv1.ClusterOperatorStatusCondition{
 				{Type: configv1.OperatorAvailable, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Done applying 1.0.0-abc"},
@@ -493,8 +490,8 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSyncUnverifiedPayload(t *testing.T) {
 	// Step 3: Given an operator image, begin synchronizing
 	//
 	o.release.Image = "image/image:1"
-	o.release.Version = "4.0.1"
-	desired := configv1.Release{Version: "4.0.1", Image: "image/image:1"}
+	o.release.Version = "1.0.0-abc"
+	desired := configv1.Release{Version: "1.0.0-abc", Image: "image/image:1"}
 	//
 	client.ClearActions()
 	err = o.sync(ctx, o.queueKey())
@@ -520,23 +517,22 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSyncUnverifiedPayload(t *testing.T) {
 			Desired:            desired,
 			ObservedGeneration: 1,
 			History: []configv1.UpdateHistory{
-				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "4.0.1", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime},
+				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "1.0.0-abc", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime},
 			},
 			Conditions: []configv1.ClusterOperatorStatusCondition{
 				{Type: configv1.OperatorAvailable, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
 				// cleared failing status and set progressing
 				{Type: ClusterStatusFailing, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
-				{Type: configv1.OperatorProgressing, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Working towards 4.0.1"},
+				{Type: configv1.OperatorProgressing, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Working towards 1.0.0-abc"},
 				{Type: configv1.RetrievedUpdates, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
 			},
 		},
 	})
 	verifyAllStatus(t, worker.StatusCh(),
 		SyncWorkerStatus{
-			Step:    "RetrievePayload",
-			Initial: true,
-			// the desired version is briefly incorrect (user provided) until we retrieve the image
-			Actual:     configv1.Release{Version: "4.0.1", Image: "image/image:1"},
+			Step:       "RetrievePayload",
+			Initial:    true,
+			Actual:     configv1.Release{Version: "1.0.0-abc", Image: "image/image:1"},
 			Generation: 1,
 		},
 		SyncWorkerStatus{
@@ -629,9 +625,7 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSyncUnverifiedPayload(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			VersionHash: "6GC9TkkG9PA=",
 			History: []configv1.UpdateHistory{
-				// Because image and operator had mismatched versions, we get two entries (which shouldn't happen unless there is a bug in the CVO)
 				{State: configv1.CompletedUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "1.0.0-abc", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
-				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "4.0.1", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
 			},
 			Conditions: []configv1.ClusterOperatorStatusCondition{
 				{Type: configv1.OperatorAvailable, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Done applying 1.0.0-abc"},
@@ -798,8 +792,8 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSyncPreconditionFailing(t *testing.T) {
 	// Step 3: Given an operator image, begin synchronizing
 	//
 	o.release.Image = "image/image:1"
-	o.release.Version = "4.0.1"
-	desired := configv1.Release{Version: "4.0.1", Image: "image/image:1"}
+	o.release.Version = "1.0.0-abc"
+	desired := configv1.Release{Version: "1.0.0-abc", Image: "image/image:1"}
 	//
 	client.ClearActions()
 	err = o.sync(ctx, o.queueKey())
@@ -825,23 +819,22 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSyncPreconditionFailing(t *testing.T) {
 			Desired:            desired,
 			ObservedGeneration: 1,
 			History: []configv1.UpdateHistory{
-				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "4.0.1", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime},
+				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "1.0.0-abc", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime},
 			},
 			Conditions: []configv1.ClusterOperatorStatusCondition{
 				{Type: configv1.OperatorAvailable, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
 				// cleared failing status and set progressing
 				{Type: ClusterStatusFailing, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
-				{Type: configv1.OperatorProgressing, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Working towards 4.0.1"},
+				{Type: configv1.OperatorProgressing, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Working towards 1.0.0-abc"},
 				{Type: configv1.RetrievedUpdates, Status: configv1.ConditionFalse},
 			},
 		},
 	})
 	verifyAllStatus(t, worker.StatusCh(),
 		SyncWorkerStatus{
-			Step:    "RetrievePayload",
-			Initial: true,
-			// the desired version is briefly incorrect (user provided) until we retrieve the image
-			Actual:     configv1.Release{Version: "4.0.1", Image: "image/image:1"},
+			Step:       "RetrievePayload",
+			Initial:    true,
+			Actual:     configv1.Release{Version: "1.0.0-abc", Image: "image/image:1"},
 			Generation: 1,
 		},
 		SyncWorkerStatus{
@@ -934,9 +927,7 @@ func TestCVO_StartupAndSyncPreconditionFailing(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			VersionHash: "6GC9TkkG9PA=",
 			History: []configv1.UpdateHistory{
-				// Because image and operator had mismatched versions, we get two entries (which shouldn't happen unless there is a bug in the CVO)
 				{State: configv1.CompletedUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "1.0.0-abc", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
-				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "4.0.1", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
 			},
 			Conditions: []configv1.ClusterOperatorStatusCondition{
 				{Type: configv1.OperatorAvailable, Status: configv1.ConditionTrue, Message: "Done applying 1.0.0-abc"},
@@ -2094,7 +2085,6 @@ func TestCVO_RestartAndReconcile(t *testing.T) {
 			History: []configv1.UpdateHistory{
 				// TODO: this is wrong, should be single partial entry
 				{State: configv1.CompletedUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "1.0.0-abc", Verified: true, StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
-				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, Image: "image/image:1", Version: "4.0.1", StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
 				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
 				{State: configv1.PartialUpdate, StartedTime: defaultStartedTime, CompletionTime: &defaultCompletionTime},
 			},
diff --git a/pkg/cvo/sync_worker.go b/pkg/cvo/sync_worker.go
index dcd676a90..891d72370 100644
--- a/pkg/cvo/sync_worker.go
+++ b/pkg/cvo/sync_worker.go
@@ -539,7 +539,6 @@ func (w *SyncWorker) syncOnce(ctx context.Context, work *SyncWork, maxWorkers in
 		} else if payloadUpdate.Release.Version != work.Desired.Version {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("release image version %s does not match the expected upstream version %s", payloadUpdate.Release.Version, work.Desired.Version)
 			w.eventRecorder.Eventf(cvoObjectRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, "VerifyPayloadVersionFailed", "verifying payload failed version=%q image=%q failure=%v", work.Desired.Version, work.Desired.Image, err)
-			/* FIXME: Ignore for now.  I will make this fatal in a follow-up pivot
 			reporter.Report(SyncWorkerStatus{
 				Generation:  work.Generation,
 				Failure:     err,
@@ -550,7 +549,6 @@ func (w *SyncWorker) syncOnce(ctx context.Context, work *SyncWork, maxWorkers in
 				Verified:    info.Verified,
 			})
 			return err
-			*/
 		}
 
 		// need to make sure the payload is only set when the preconditions have been successful