diff --git a/pkg/cloud/services/eks/nodegroup.go b/pkg/cloud/services/eks/nodegroup.go
index ec24f16fc3..c15e483de3 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/services/eks/nodegroup.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/services/eks/nodegroup.go
@@ -348,6 +348,12 @@ func (s *NodegroupService) reconcileNodegroupVersion(ng *eks.Nodegroup) error {
 		var updateMsg string
 		// Either update k8s version or AMI version
 		switch {
+		case statusLaunchTemplateVersion != nil && *statusLaunchTemplateVersion != *ngLaunchTemplateVersion:
+			input.LaunchTemplate = &eks.LaunchTemplateSpecification{
+				Id:      s.scope.ManagedMachinePool.Status.LaunchTemplateID,
+				Version: statusLaunchTemplateVersion,
+			}
+			updateMsg = fmt.Sprintf("to launch template version %s", *statusLaunchTemplateVersion)
 		case specVersion != nil && ngVersion.LessThan(specVersion):
 			// NOTE: you can only upgrade increments of minor versions. If you want to upgrade 1.14 to 1.16 we
 			// need to go 1.14-> 1.15 and then 1.15 -> 1.16.
@@ -356,12 +362,6 @@ func (s *NodegroupService) reconcileNodegroupVersion(ng *eks.Nodegroup) error {
 		case specAMI != nil && *specAMI != ngAMI:
 			input.ReleaseVersion = specAMI
 			updateMsg = fmt.Sprintf("to AMI version %s", *input.ReleaseVersion)
-		case statusLaunchTemplateVersion != nil && *statusLaunchTemplateVersion != *ngLaunchTemplateVersion:
-			input.LaunchTemplate = &eks.LaunchTemplateSpecification{
-				Id:      s.scope.ManagedMachinePool.Status.LaunchTemplateID,
-				Version: statusLaunchTemplateVersion,
-			}
-			updateMsg = fmt.Sprintf("to launch template version %s", *statusLaunchTemplateVersion)
 		}
 
 		if err := wait.WaitForWithRetryable(wait.NewBackoff(), func() (bool, error) {