diff --git a/src/api/admin/cluster.rs b/src/api/admin/cluster.rs
index 41049d5e..f41766b9 100644
--- a/src/api/admin/cluster.rs
+++ b/src/api/admin/cluster.rs
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ impl RequestHandler for PreviewClusterLayoutChangesRequest {
 	) -> Result<PreviewClusterLayoutChangesResponse, Error> {
 		let layout = garage.system.cluster_layout().inner().clone();
 		let new_ver = layout.current().version + 1;
-		match layout.apply_staged_changes(Some(new_ver)) {
+		match layout.apply_staged_changes(new_ver) {
 			Err(GarageError::Message(error)) => {
 				Ok(PreviewClusterLayoutChangesResponse::Error { error })
 			}
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ impl RequestHandler for ApplyClusterLayoutRequest {
 		_admin: &Admin,
 	) -> Result<ApplyClusterLayoutResponse, Error> {
 		let layout = garage.system.cluster_layout().inner().clone();
-		let (layout, msg) = layout.apply_staged_changes(Some(self.version))?;
+		let (layout, msg) = layout.apply_staged_changes(self.version)?;
 
 		garage
 			.system
diff --git a/src/rpc/layout/history.rs b/src/rpc/layout/history.rs
index 574c50c2..16c32fb2 100644
--- a/src/rpc/layout/history.rs
+++ b/src/rpc/layout/history.rs
@@ -267,20 +267,9 @@ impl LayoutHistory {
 		changed
 	}
 
-	pub fn apply_staged_changes(mut self, version: Option<u64>) -> Result<(Self, Message), Error> {
-		match version {
-			None => {
-				let error = r#"
-Please pass the new layout version number to ensure that you are writing the correct version of the cluster layout.
-To know the correct value of the new layout version, invoke `garage layout show` and review the proposed changes.
-				"#;
-				return Err(Error::Message(error.into()));
-			}
-			Some(v) => {
-				if v != self.current().version + 1 {
-					return Err(Error::Message("Invalid new layout version".into()));
-				}
-			}
+	pub fn apply_staged_changes(mut self, version: u64) -> Result<(Self, Message), Error> {
+		if version != self.current().version + 1 {
+			return Err(Error::Message("Invalid new layout version".into()));
 		}
 
 		// Compute new version and add it to history
diff --git a/src/rpc/layout/test.rs b/src/rpc/layout/test.rs
index 5462160b..2d29914e 100644
--- a/src/rpc/layout/test.rs
+++ b/src/rpc/layout/test.rs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ fn test_assignment() {
 	let mut cl = LayoutHistory::new(ReplicationFactor::new(3).unwrap());
 	update_layout(&mut cl, &node_capacity_vec, &node_zone_vec, 3);
 	let v = cl.current().version;
-	let (mut cl, msg) = cl.apply_staged_changes(Some(v + 1)).unwrap();
+	let (mut cl, msg) = cl.apply_staged_changes(v + 1).unwrap();
 	show_msg(&msg);
 	assert_eq!(cl.check(), Ok(()));
 	assert!(check_against_naive(cl.current()).unwrap());
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ fn test_assignment() {
 	node_zone_vec = vec!["A", "B", "C", "C", "C", "B", "G", "H", "I"];
 	update_layout(&mut cl, &node_capacity_vec, &node_zone_vec, 2);
 	let v = cl.current().version;
-	let (mut cl, msg) = cl.apply_staged_changes(Some(v + 1)).unwrap();
+	let (mut cl, msg) = cl.apply_staged_changes(v + 1).unwrap();
 	show_msg(&msg);
 	assert_eq!(cl.check(), Ok(()));
 	assert!(check_against_naive(cl.current()).unwrap());
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ fn test_assignment() {
 	node_capacity_vec = vec![4000, 1000, 2000, 7000, 1000, 1000, 2000, 10000, 2000];
 	update_layout(&mut cl, &node_capacity_vec, &node_zone_vec, 3);
 	let v = cl.current().version;
-	let (mut cl, msg) = cl.apply_staged_changes(Some(v + 1)).unwrap();
+	let (mut cl, msg) = cl.apply_staged_changes(v + 1).unwrap();
 	show_msg(&msg);
 	assert_eq!(cl.check(), Ok(()));
 	assert!(check_against_naive(cl.current()).unwrap());
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ fn test_assignment() {
 	];
 	update_layout(&mut cl, &node_capacity_vec, &node_zone_vec, 1);
 	let v = cl.current().version;
-	let (cl, msg) = cl.apply_staged_changes(Some(v + 1)).unwrap();
+	let (cl, msg) = cl.apply_staged_changes(v + 1).unwrap();
 	show_msg(&msg);
 	assert_eq!(cl.check(), Ok(()));
 	assert!(check_against_naive(cl.current()).unwrap());