diff --git a/pkg/cvo/cvo.go b/pkg/cvo/cvo.go
index 1d9310958b..da4d7097df 100644
--- a/pkg/cvo/cvo.go
+++ b/pkg/cvo/cvo.go
@@ -923,6 +923,7 @@ func hasReachedLevel(cv *configv1.ClusterVersion, desired configv1.Update) bool
 
 func (optr *Operator) defaultPreconditionChecks() precondition.List {
 	return []precondition.Precondition{
+		preconditioncv.NewRollback(optr.currentVersion),
 		preconditioncv.NewUpgradeable(optr.cvLister),
 		preconditioncv.NewRecentEtcdBackup(optr.cvLister, optr.coLister),
 		preconditioncv.NewRecommendedUpdate(optr.cvLister),
diff --git a/pkg/payload/precondition/clusterversion/rollback.go b/pkg/payload/precondition/clusterversion/rollback.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ca7ea46c9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/payload/precondition/clusterversion/rollback.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package clusterversion
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/blang/semver/v4"
+	configv1 "github.com/openshift/api/config/v1"
+
+	precondition "github.com/openshift/cluster-version-operator/pkg/payload/precondition"
+)
+
+// currentRelease is a callback for returning the version that is currently being reconciled.
+type currentRelease func() configv1.Release
+
+// Rollback blocks rollbacks from the version that is currently being reconciled.
+type Rollback struct {
+	currentRelease
+}
+
+// NewRollback returns a new Rollback precondition check.
+func NewRollback(fn currentRelease) *Rollback {
+	return &Rollback{
+		currentRelease: fn,
+	}
+}
+
+// Name returns Name for the precondition.
+func (pf *Rollback) Name() string { return "ClusterVersionRollback" }
+
+// Run runs the Rollback precondition, blocking rollbacks from the
+// version that is currently being reconciled.  It returns a
+// PreconditionError when possible.
+func (p *Rollback) Run(ctx context.Context, releaseContext precondition.ReleaseContext) error {
+	currentRelease := p.currentRelease()
+	currentVersion, err := semver.Parse(currentRelease.Version)
+	if err != nil {
+		return &precondition.Error{
+			Nested:  err,
+			Reason:  "InvalidCurrentVersion",
+			Message: err.Error(),
+			Name:    p.Name(),
+		}
+	}
+
+	targetVersion, err := semver.Parse(releaseContext.DesiredVersion)
+	if err != nil {
+		return &precondition.Error{
+			Nested:  err,
+			Reason:  "InvalidDesiredVersion",
+			Message: err.Error(),
+			Name:    p.Name(),
+		}
+	}
+
+	if targetVersion.LT(currentVersion) {
+		return &precondition.Error{
+			Reason:  "LowDesiredVersion",
+			Message: fmt.Sprintf("%s is less than the current target %s, but rollbacks and downgrades are not recommended", targetVersion, currentVersion),
+			Name:    p.Name(),
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/payload/precondition/clusterversion/rollback_test.go b/pkg/payload/precondition/clusterversion/rollback_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1fe106784b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/payload/precondition/clusterversion/rollback_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package clusterversion
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	configv1 "github.com/openshift/api/config/v1"
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-version-operator/pkg/payload/precondition"
+)
+
+func TestRollbackRun(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name           string
+		currVersion    string
+		desiredVersion string
+		expected       string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:           "update",
+			currVersion:    "1.0.0",
+			desiredVersion: "1.0.1",
+			expected:       "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "no change",
+			currVersion:    "1.0.0",
+			desiredVersion: "1.0.0",
+			expected:       "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "rollback",
+			currVersion:    "1.0.1",
+			desiredVersion: "1.0.0",
+			expected:       "1.0.0 is less than the current target 1.0.1, but rollbacks and downgrades are not recommended",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			instance := NewRollback(func() configv1.Release {
+				return configv1.Release{
+					Version: tc.currVersion,
+				}
+			})
+
+			err := instance.Run(ctx, precondition.ReleaseContext{
+				DesiredVersion: tc.desiredVersion,
+			})
+			switch {
+			case err != nil && len(tc.expected) == 0:
+				t.Error(err)
+			case err != nil && err.Error() == tc.expected:
+			case err != nil && err.Error() != tc.expected:
+				t.Error(err)
+			case err == nil && len(tc.expected) == 0:
+			case err == nil && len(tc.expected) != 0:
+				t.Error(err)
+			}
+
+		})
+	}
+}