diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 4af52a1ea..b565b1aff 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ stages:
   - deploy-extended
 
 variables:
-  KUBESPRAY_VERSION: v2.27.0
   FAILFASTCI_NAMESPACE: 'kargo-ci'
   GITLAB_REPOSITORY: 'kargo-ci/kubernetes-sigs-kubespray'
   GIT_CONFIG_COUNT: 1
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index 27495311a..2f1a5975e 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ The Kubespray Project is released on an as-needed basis. The process is as follo
 1. (For major releases) On the `master` branch: bump the version in `galaxy.yml` to the next expected major release (X.y.0 with y = Y + 1), make a Pull Request.
 1. (For minor releases) On the `release-X.Y` branch: bump the version in `galaxy.yml` to the next expected minor release (X.Y.z with z = Z + 1), make a Pull Request.
 1. The corresponding version of [quay.io/kubespray/kubespray:vX.Y.Z](https://quay.io/repository/kubespray/kubespray) and [quay.io/kubespray/vagrant:vX.Y.Z](https://quay.io/repository/kubespray/vagrant) container images are built and tagged. See the following `Container image creation` section for the details.
-1. (Only for major releases) The `KUBESPRAY_VERSION` in `.gitlab-ci.yml` is upgraded to the version we just released # TODO clarify this, this variable is for testing upgrades.
 1. The release issue is closed
 1. An announcement email is sent to `dev@kubernetes.io` with the subject `[ANNOUNCE] Kubespray $VERSION is released`
 1. The topic of the #kubespray channel is updated with `vX.Y.Z is released! | ...`
diff --git a/tests/scripts/testcases_run.sh b/tests/scripts/testcases_run.sh
index 1d97bbf4c..bf50d79b1 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/testcases_run.sh
+++ b/tests/scripts/testcases_run.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ fi
 
 # Check out latest tag if testing upgrade
 if [ "${UPGRADE_TEST}" != "false" ]; then
-  git fetch --all && git checkout "$KUBESPRAY_VERSION"
+  git fetch --all && git checkout $(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)
   # Checkout the current tests/ directory ; even when testing old version,
   # we want the up-to-date test setup/provisionning
   git checkout "${CI_COMMIT_SHA}" -- tests/