diff --git a/builder/src/merge.rs b/builder/src/merge.rs
index 56b0c8d3a94..6357b322661 100644
--- a/builder/src/merge.rs
+++ b/builder/src/merge.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use anyhow::{anyhow, bail, ensure, Context, Result};
 use hex::FromHex;
 use nydus_api::ConfigV2;
-use nydus_rafs::metadata::{RafsSuper, RafsVersion};
+use nydus_rafs::metadata::{MergeError, RafsSuper, RafsVersion};
 use nydus_storage::device::{BlobFeatures, BlobInfo};
 use nydus_utils::crypt;
 
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ impl Merger {
         target: ArtifactStorage,
         chunk_dict: Option<PathBuf>,
         config_v2: Arc<ConfigV2>,
+        expected_fs_version: Option<u32>,
     ) -> Result<BuildOutput> {
         if sources.is_empty() {
             bail!("source bootstrap list is empty , at least one bootstrap is required");
@@ -127,7 +128,13 @@ impl Merger {
                 sources.len(),
             );
         }
-
+        if let Some(expected_version) = expected_fs_version {
+            ensure!(
+                expected_version == 5 || expected_version == 6,
+                "invalid fs version, expected v5 or v6, found {}",
+                expected_version
+            )
+        }
         let mut tree: Option<Tree> = None;
         let mut blob_mgr = BlobManager::new(ctx.digester);
         let mut blob_idx_map = HashMap::new();
@@ -171,6 +178,14 @@ impl Merger {
                 .check_compatibility(&rs.meta)?;
             fs_version = RafsVersion::try_from(rs.meta.version)
                 .context("failed to get RAFS version number")?;
+            if let Some(expected_version) = expected_fs_version {
+                if expected_version != u32::from(fs_version) {
+                    bail!(MergeError::InconsisentFsVersion(format!(
+                        "Unexpected fs version, expected {:?}, actual {:?}",
+                        expected_fs_version, fs_version
+                    )))
+                }
+            }
             ctx.compressor = rs.meta.get_compressor();
             ctx.digester = rs.meta.get_digester();
             // If any RAFS filesystems are encrypted, the merged boostrap will be marked as encrypted.
diff --git a/src/bin/nydus-image/main.rs b/src/bin/nydus-image/main.rs
index 093ee58ae16..c40c6cbf331 100644
--- a/src/bin/nydus-image/main.rs
+++ b/src/bin/nydus-image/main.rs
@@ -1228,6 +1228,14 @@ impl Command {
                     .map(|item| item.trim().to_string())
                     .collect()
             });
+        let expected_fs_version: Option<u32> = matches
+            .get_one::<String>("expected-fs-version")
+            .map(|value| {
+                value
+                    .parse::<u32>()
+                    .expect("invalid number in --expected-fs-version option")
+            });
+
         let target_bootstrap_path = Self::get_bootstrap_storage(matches)?;
         let chunk_dict_path = if let Some(arg) = matches.get_one::<String>("chunk-dict") {
             Some(parse_chunk_dict_arg(arg)?)
@@ -1259,6 +1267,7 @@ impl Command {
             target_bootstrap_path,
             chunk_dict_path,
             config,
+            expected_fs_version,
         )?;
         OutputSerializer::dump(matches, output, build_info)
     }