diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/internal/ShardSearchRequest.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/internal/ShardSearchRequest.java
index fc627938cca82..a0f95c4b8fe03 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/internal/ShardSearchRequest.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/internal/ShardSearchRequest.java
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ protected final void innerWriteTo(StreamOutput out, boolean asKey) throws IOExce
             out.writeStringArray(indexRoutings);
             out.writeOptionalString(preference);
         }
-        if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_8_0_0)) {
+        if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(Version.V_7_7_0)) {
             out.writeBoolean(canReturnNullResponseIfMatchNoDocs);
         }
     }