diff --git a/workflow/controller/operator_test.go b/workflow/controller/operator_test.go
index 7d0eb18d903a..c26788dce514 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/operator_test.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/operator_test.go
@@ -280,6 +280,9 @@ spec:
        - name: pod
          template: pod
    - name: pod
+     metadata:
+        annotations:
+          workflows.argoproj.io/progress: 0/100
      container:
        image: my-image
 `)
@@ -290,17 +293,25 @@ spec:
 	woc := newWorkflowOperationCtx(wf, controller)
 	woc.operate(ctx)
 
-	makePodsPhase(ctx, woc, apiv1.PodRunning, withProgress("50/100"))
+	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.WorkflowRunning, woc.wf.Status.Phase)
+	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.Progress("0/100"), woc.wf.Status.Progress)
+	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.Progress("0/100"), woc.wf.Status.Nodes[woc.wf.Name].Progress)
+	pod := woc.wf.Status.Nodes.FindByDisplayName("pod")
+	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.Progress("0/100"), pod.Progress)
+
+	// mock workflow uses legacy/insecure pod patch
+	makePodsPhase(ctx, woc, apiv1.PodRunning, withAnnotation(common.AnnotationKeyReportOutputsCompleted, "false"), withProgress("50/100"))
 	woc = newWorkflowOperationCtx(woc.wf, controller)
 	woc.operate(ctx)
 
 	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.WorkflowRunning, woc.wf.Status.Phase)
 	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.Progress("50/100"), woc.wf.Status.Progress)
 	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.Progress("50/100"), woc.wf.Status.Nodes[woc.wf.Name].Progress)
-	pod := woc.wf.Status.Nodes.FindByDisplayName("pod")
+	pod = woc.wf.Status.Nodes.FindByDisplayName("pod")
 	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.Progress("50/100"), pod.Progress)
 
-	makePodsPhase(ctx, woc, apiv1.PodSucceeded, withProgress("100/100"))
+	// mock workflow uses legacy/insecure pod patch
+	makePodsPhase(ctx, woc, apiv1.PodSucceeded, withAnnotation(common.AnnotationKeyReportOutputsCompleted, "true"), withProgress("100/100"))
 	woc = newWorkflowOperationCtx(woc.wf, controller)
 	woc.operate(ctx)
 
@@ -6288,7 +6299,7 @@ func TestConfigMapCacheSaveOperate(t *testing.T) {
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	woc.operate(ctx)
-	makePodsPhase(ctx, woc, apiv1.PodSucceeded, withExitCode(0), withOutputs(wfv1.MustMarshallJSON(sampleOutputs)))
+	makePodsPhase(ctx, woc, apiv1.PodSucceeded, withExitCode(0), withAnnotation(common.AnnotationKeyReportOutputsCompleted, "true"), withOutputs(wfv1.MustMarshallJSON(sampleOutputs)))
 	woc = newWorkflowOperationCtx(woc.wf, controller)
 	woc.operate(ctx)
 
@@ -6578,7 +6589,7 @@ spec:
 	assert.Equal(t, wfv1.WorkflowRunning, woc.wf.Status.Phase)
 
 	// make all created pods as successful
-	makePodsPhase(ctx, woc, apiv1.PodSucceeded, withOutputs(`{"parameters": [{"name": "my-param"}]}`))
+	makePodsPhase(ctx, woc, apiv1.PodSucceeded, withAnnotation(common.AnnotationKeyReportOutputsCompleted, "true"), withOutputs(`{"parameters": [{"name": "my-param"}]}`))
 
 	// reconcile
 	woc = newWorkflowOperationCtx(woc.wf, controller)