diff --git a/operator/controllers/seldondeployment_controller.go b/operator/controllers/seldondeployment_controller.go
index 1e76266e4d..a91c3f3c79 100644
--- a/operator/controllers/seldondeployment_controller.go
+++ b/operator/controllers/seldondeployment_controller.go
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ func (r *SeldonDeploymentReconciler) createComponents(mlDep *machinelearningv1.S
 		pSvcName := machinelearningv1.GetPredictorKey(mlDep, &p)
 		log.Info("pSvcName", "val", pSvcName)
 		// Add engine deployment if separate
-		_, hasSeparateEnginePod := mlDep.Spec.Annotations[machinelearningv1.ANNOTATION_SEPARATE_ENGINE]
+		hasSeparateEnginePod := strings.ToLower(mlDep.Spec.Annotations[machinelearningv1.ANNOTATION_SEPARATE_ENGINE]) == "true"
 		if hasSeparateEnginePod && !noEngine {
 			deploy, err := createEngineDeployment(mlDep, &p, pSvcName, engine_http_port, engine_grpc_port)
 			if err != nil {