diff --git a/docs/changelog/85244.yaml b/docs/changelog/85244.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..442148fed7f6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changelog/85244.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pr: 85244
+summary: Return empty version instead of blowing up if we cannot find it
+area: Infra/Core
+type: bug
+issues: []
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/SystemIndexManager.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/SystemIndexManager.java
index da204a8619017..b3349c5872ef0 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/SystemIndexManager.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/SystemIndexManager.java
@@ -310,12 +310,9 @@ private Version readMappingVersion(SystemIndexDescriptor descriptor, MappingMeta
                 return Version.V_EMPTY;
             }
             return Version.fromString(versionString);
-        } catch (ElasticsearchParseException e) {
+        } catch (ElasticsearchParseException | IllegalArgumentException e) {
             logger.error(new ParameterizedMessage("Cannot parse the mapping for index [{}]", indexName), e);
-            throw new ElasticsearchException("Cannot parse the mapping for index [{}]", e, indexName);
-        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-            logger.error(new ParameterizedMessage("Cannot parse the mapping for index [{}]", indexName), e);
-            throw e;
+            return Version.V_EMPTY;
         }
     }