diff --git a/doc/manual/protocols.adoc b/doc/manual/protocols.adoc
index 996c4fb52d..612429a846 100644
--- a/doc/manual/protocols.adoc
+++ b/doc/manual/protocols.adoc
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ address chosen will be:
 | jgroups.use.jdk_logger | If true, the JDK logger (`java.util.logging.Logger`) will be used
 | jgroups.log_class | The fully qualified name of a class implementing a logger to be used. See <<Logging>> for details.
 | jgroups.msg.default_headers | System prop for defining the default number of headers in a Message (default: 4).
+| jgroups.version.check | Whether or not to check the version of received messages and discard them if the versions
+don't match. Default: true (version check is enabled).
 
 |===============
 
diff --git a/src/org/jgroups/Global.java b/src/org/jgroups/Global.java
index 662830bdbd..fa0149d8ac 100644
--- a/src/org/jgroups/Global.java
+++ b/src/org/jgroups/Global.java
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ public final class Global {
     public static final String USE_JDK_LOGGER="jgroups.use.jdk_logger"; // forces use of the JDK logger
     public static final String LOG_CLASS="jgroups.log_class"; // class of preferred logger
 
+    public static final String VERSION_CHECK="jgroups.version.check"; // used to disable/enable version checking
+
     /** System prop for defining the default number of headers in a Message */
     public static final String DEFAULT_HEADERS="jgroups.msg.default_headers";
 
diff --git a/src/org/jgroups/Version.java b/src/org/jgroups/Version.java
index d4e5966b8d..c553a4c1cf 100644
--- a/src/org/jgroups/Version.java
+++ b/src/org/jgroups/Version.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public class Version {
     public static final String   VERSION_PROPERTY = "jgroups.version";
     public static final String   CODENAME         = "jgroups.codename";
     private static final Pattern VERSION_REGEXP   = Pattern.compile("((\\d+)\\.(\\d+)\\.(\\d+).*)");
-
+    private static boolean       VERSION_CHECK    = true; // version checking is enabled by default
     
 
     static {
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ public class Version {
         catch(Exception e) {
             throw new IllegalStateException(String.format("failed parsing %s (%s correct?)", ver, VERSION_FILE), e);
         }
-
+        String s=Util.getProperty(Global.VERSION_CHECK);
+        if(s != null)
+            VERSION_CHECK=Boolean.parseBoolean(s);
     }
 
     public static short getMajor() {return major;}
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ public static short[] decode(short version) {
      * @return
      */
     public static boolean isBinaryCompatible(short ver) {
-        if(version == ver)
+        if(!VERSION_CHECK || version == ver)
             return true;
         short tmp_major=(short)((ver & MAJOR_MASK) >> MAJOR_SHIFT);
         short tmp_minor=(short)((ver & MINOR_MASK) >> MINOR_SHIFT);
@@ -178,7 +180,7 @@ public static boolean isBinaryCompatible(short ver) {
 
 
     public static boolean isBinaryCompatible(short ver1, short ver2) {
-        if(ver1 == ver2)
+        if(!VERSION_CHECK || ver1 == ver2)
             return true;
         short[] tmp=decode(ver1);
         short tmp_major=tmp[0], tmp_minor=tmp[1];