diff --git a/salt/elastalert/init.sls b/salt/elastalert/init.sls
index b1f6bae8e..ed2549a36 100644
--- a/salt/elastalert/init.sls
+++ b/salt/elastalert/init.sls
@@ -107,10 +107,6 @@ wait_for_elasticsearch:
   cmd.run:
     - name: so-elasticsearch-wait
 
-is_elasticsearch_v8:
-  cmd.shell:
-    - name: "so-elasticsearch-query / | jq -r '.version.number[0:1]' | grep -q 8" #if not 8 do not start ES
-
 so-elastalert:
   docker_container.running:
     - image: {{ MANAGER }}:5000/{{ IMAGEREPO }}/so-elastalert:{{ VERSION }}
@@ -127,13 +123,15 @@ so-elastalert:
       - {{MANAGER_URL}}:{{MANAGER_IP}}
     - require:
       - cmd: wait_for_elasticsearch
-      - cmd: is_elasticsearch_v8
       - file: elastarules
       - file: elastalogdir
       - file: elastacustmodulesdir
       - file: elastaconf
     - watch:
       - file: elastaconf
+    - onlyif:
+      - "so-elasticsearch-query / | jq -r '.version.number[0:1]' | grep -q 8" {# only run this state if elasticsearch is version 8 #}
+
 
 append_so-elastalert_so-status.conf:
   file.append: