diff --git a/api/controlplane/v1beta1/k0s_types.go b/api/controlplane/v1beta1/k0s_types.go
index 739cae182..2a8ee2015 100644
--- a/api/controlplane/v1beta1/k0s_types.go
+++ b/api/controlplane/v1beta1/k0s_types.go
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ type K0sControlPlaneSpec struct {
 	//+kubebuilder:validation:Optional
 	//+kubebuilder:default=1
 	Replicas int32 `json:"replicas,omitempty"`
+	// K0sVersion defines the k0s version to be deployed. If empty k0smotron
+	// will pick it automatically.
+	//+kubebuilder:validation:Optional
+	K0sVersion string `json:"k0sVersion,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type K0sBootstrapConfigSpec struct {
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_k0scontrolplanes.yaml b/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_k0scontrolplanes.yaml
index 893758ed5..f87ce3ee4 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_k0scontrolplanes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_k0scontrolplanes.yaml
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ spec:
                       For reference see the Kubernetes version skew policy: https://kubernetes.io/docs/setup/release/version-skew-policy/'
                     type: string
                 type: object
+              k0sVersion:
+                description: K0sVersion defines the k0s version to be deployed. If
+                  empty k0smotron will pick it automatically.
+                type: string
               machineTemplate:
                 properties:
                   infrastructureRef:
diff --git a/internal/controller/controlplane/helper.go b/internal/controller/controlplane/helper.go
index 6a91c8164..e16bdabda 100644
--- a/internal/controller/controlplane/helper.go
+++ b/internal/controller/controlplane/helper.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func (c *K0sController) deleteMachine(ctx context.Context, name string, kcp *cpv
 }
 
 func (c *K0sController) generateMachine(_ context.Context, name string, cluster *clusterv1.Cluster, kcp *cpv1beta1.K0sControlPlane, infraRef corev1.ObjectReference) *clusterv1.Machine {
-	ver := semver.MustParse(kcp.Spec.K0sConfigSpec.Version)
+	ver := semver.MustParse(kcp.Spec.K0sVersion)
 	v := fmt.Sprintf("%d.%d.%d", ver.Major(), ver.Minor(), ver.Patch())
 	return &clusterv1.Machine{
 		TypeMeta: metav1.TypeMeta{
diff --git a/internal/controller/controlplane/k0s_controlplane_controller.go b/internal/controller/controlplane/k0s_controlplane_controller.go
index 52f25e4a3..e1281a8f5 100644
--- a/internal/controller/controlplane/k0s_controlplane_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/controlplane/k0s_controlplane_controller.go
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ func (c *K0sController) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (res ct
 		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 	}
 
-	if kcp.Spec.K0sConfigSpec.Version == "" {
-		kcp.Spec.K0sConfigSpec.Version = defaultK0SVersion
+	if kcp.Spec.K0sVersion == "" {
+		kcp.Spec.K0sVersion = defaultK0SVersion
 	}
 
 	cluster, err := capiutil.GetOwnerCluster(ctx, c.Client, kcp.ObjectMeta)
diff --git a/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker-worker/capi_controlplane_docker_worker_test.go b/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker-worker/capi_controlplane_docker_worker_test.go
index f83552067..e8107486a 100644
--- a/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker-worker/capi_controlplane_docker_worker_test.go
+++ b/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker-worker/capi_controlplane_docker_worker_test.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   replicas: 1
   k0sConfigSpec:
-    version: v1.27.3+k0s.0
+    version: v1.28.2+k0s.0
     k0s:
       apiVersion: k0s.k0sproject.io/v1beta1
       kind: ClusterConfig