diff --git a/tests/integration/__init__.py b/tests/integration/__init__.py
index e728bc7740..7d1b0ab063 100644
--- a/tests/integration/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/integration/__init__.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 from cassandra import ProtocolVersion
 
 try:
+    import ccmlib
     from ccmlib.dse_cluster import DseCluster
     from ccmlib.cluster import Cluster as CCMCluster
     from ccmlib.scylla_cluster import ScyllaCluster as CCMScyllaCluster
@@ -97,6 +98,12 @@ def get_server_versions():
     return (cass_version, cql_version)
 
 
+def get_scylla_version(scylla_ccm_version_string):
+    """ get scylla version from ccm before starting a cluster"""
+    ccm_repo_cache_dir, _ = ccmlib.scylla_repository.setup(version=scylla_ccm_version_string)
+    return  ccmlib.common.get_version_from_build(ccm_repo_cache_dir)
+
+
 def _tuple_version(version_string):
     if '-' in version_string:
         version_string = version_string[:version_string.index('-')]
@@ -372,7 +379,7 @@ def _id_and_mark(f):
 # 1. unittest doesn't skip setUpClass when used on class and we need it sometimes
 # 2. unittest doesn't have conditional xfail, and I prefer to use pytest than custom decorator
 # 3. unittest doesn't have a reason argument, so you don't see the reason in pytest report
-requires_collection_indexes = pytest.mark.skipif(SCYLLA_VERSION is not None and Version(SCYLLA_VERSION.split(':')[1]) < Version('5.2'),
+requires_collection_indexes = pytest.mark.skipif(SCYLLA_VERSION is not None and Version(get_scylla_version(SCYLLA_VERSION)) < Version('5.2'),
                                               reason='Scylla supports collection indexes from 5.2 onwards') 
 requires_custom_indexes = pytest.mark.skipif(SCYLLA_VERSION is not None,
                                           reason='Scylla does not support SASI or any other CUSTOM INDEX class')