diff --git a/scripts/test-run-compat b/scripts/test-run-compat
index 6e31f70dd2..87cb89c00a 100755
--- a/scripts/test-run-compat
+++ b/scripts/test-run-compat
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export -f test-post-hook
 
 REPO=${REPO:-rancher}
 IMAGE_NAME=${IMAGE_NAME:-k3s}
-PREVIOUS_CHANNEL=$(grep 'k8s.io/kubernetes v' go.mod | head -n1 | awk '{print $2}' | awk -F. '{print "v1." ($2 - 1)}')
+PREVIOUS_CHANNEL=$(echo ${VERSION_K8S} | awk -F. '{print "v1." ($2 - 1)}')
 PREVIOUS_VERSION=$(curl -s https://update.k3s.io/v1-release/channels/${PREVIOUS_CHANNEL} -o /dev/null -w '%{redirect_url}' | awk -F/ '{print gensub(/\+/, "-", "g", $NF)}')
 STABLE_VERSION=$(curl -s https://update.k3s.io/v1-release/channels/stable -o /dev/null -w '%{redirect_url}' | awk -F/ '{print gensub(/\+/, "-", "g", $NF)}')
 LATEST_VERSION=$(curl -s https://update.k3s.io/v1-release/channels/latest -o /dev/null -w '%{redirect_url}' | awk -F/ '{print gensub(/\+/, "-", "g", $NF)}')
diff --git a/scripts/test-run-etcd b/scripts/test-run-etcd
index b1ceedf4e7..5555664829 100755
--- a/scripts/test-run-etcd
+++ b/scripts/test-run-etcd
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export SERVER_1_ARGS="--cluster-init"
 
 REPO=${REPO:-rancher}
 IMAGE_NAME=${IMAGE_NAME:-k3s}
-PREVIOUS_CHANNEL=$(grep 'k8s.io/kubernetes v' go.mod | head -n1 | awk '{print $2}' | awk -F. '{print "v1." ($2 - 1)}')
+PREVIOUS_CHANNEL=$(echo ${VERSION_K8S} | awk -F. '{print "v1." ($2 - 1)}')
 PREVIOUS_VERSION=$(curl -s https://update.k3s.io/v1-release/channels/${PREVIOUS_CHANNEL} -o /dev/null -w '%{redirect_url}' | awk -F/ '{print gensub(/\+/, "-", "g", $NF)}')
 STABLE_VERSION=$(curl -s https://update.k3s.io/v1-release/channels/stable -o /dev/null -w '%{redirect_url}' | awk -F/ '{print gensub(/\+/, "-", "g", $NF)}')
 LATEST_VERSION=$(curl -s https://update.k3s.io/v1-release/channels/latest -o /dev/null -w '%{redirect_url}' | awk -F/ '{print gensub(/\+/, "-", "g", $NF)}')
diff --git a/scripts/test-run-upgrade b/scripts/test-run-upgrade
index 5ca71b9541..203c4d61fe 100755
--- a/scripts/test-run-upgrade
+++ b/scripts/test-run-upgrade
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export WAIT_SERVICES="${all_services[@]}"
 
 REPO=${REPO:-rancher}
 IMAGE_NAME=${IMAGE_NAME:-k3s}
-CURRENT_CHANNEL=$(grep 'k8s.io/kubernetes v' go.mod | head -n1 | awk '{print $2}' | awk -F. '{print "v1." $2}')
+CURRENT_CHANNEL=$(echo ${VERSION_K8S} | awk -F. '{print "v1." $2}')
 CURRENT_VERSION=$(curl -s https://update.k3s.io/v1-release/channels/${CURRENT_CHANNEL} -o /dev/null -w '%{redirect_url}' | awk -F/ '{print gensub(/\+/, "-", "g", $NF)}')
 if [ -z "${CURRENT_VERSION}" ]; then
     CURRENT_VERSION=${VERSION_TAG}