diff --git a/pkg/controller/instanceset/instance_util.go b/pkg/controller/instanceset/instance_util.go
index 638d4b1bdaa..11812f5b36b 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/instanceset/instance_util.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/instanceset/instance_util.go
@@ -232,10 +232,12 @@ func isImageMatched(pod *corev1.Pod) bool {
 			return false
 		}
 		// otherwise, statusName should be same as or has suffix of specName
-		// remove registry and repository in specName (if presents)
-		names := strings.Split(specName, "/")
-		if !strings.HasSuffix(statusName, "/"+names[len(names)-1]) {
-			return false
+		if specName != statusName {
+			specNames := strings.Split(specName, "/")
+			statusNames := strings.Split(statusName, "/")
+			if specNames[len(specNames)-1] != statusNames[len(statusNames)-1] {
+				return false
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return true
diff --git a/pkg/controller/instanceset/instance_util_test.go b/pkg/controller/instanceset/instance_util_test.go
index 6dcbeea0d43..4df3482d72a 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/instanceset/instance_util_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/instanceset/instance_util_test.go
@@ -1404,6 +1404,13 @@ var _ = Describe("instance util test", func() {
 			}}
 			Expect(isImageMatched(pod)).Should(BeTrue())
 
+			By("exactly match w/o registry and repository")
+			pod.Status.ContainerStatuses = []corev1.ContainerStatus{{
+				Name:  name,
+				Image: "nginx",
+			}}
+			Expect(isImageMatched(pod)).Should(BeTrue())
+
 			By("digest not matches")
 			pod.Spec.Containers = []corev1.Container{{
 				Name:  name,