diff --git a/packages/versioning/src/versioning.ts b/packages/versioning/src/versioning.ts
index a26dab639b..c7ece18b6e 100644
--- a/packages/versioning/src/versioning.ts
+++ b/packages/versioning/src/versioning.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
   Type,
   Union,
   UnionVariant,
-  compilerAssert,
   getNamespaceFullName,
 } from "@typespec/compiler";
 import {
@@ -782,6 +781,26 @@ export enum Availability {
   Removed = "Removed",
 }
 
+function getParentAddedVersion(
+  program: Program,
+  type: Type,
+  versions: Version[]
+): Version | undefined {
+  let parentMap: Map<string, Availability> | undefined = undefined;
+  if (type.kind === "ModelProperty" && type.model !== undefined) {
+    parentMap = getAvailabilityMap(program, type.model);
+  } else if (type.kind === "Operation" && type.interface !== undefined) {
+    parentMap = getAvailabilityMap(program, type.interface);
+  }
+  if (parentMap === undefined) return undefined;
+  for (const [key, value] of parentMap.entries()) {
+    if (value === Availability.Added) {
+      return versions.find((x) => x.name === key);
+    }
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
 export function getAvailabilityMap(
   program: Program,
   type: Type
@@ -792,7 +811,8 @@ export function getAvailabilityMap(
   // if unversioned then everything exists
   if (allVersions === undefined) return undefined;
 
-  const added = getAddedOnVersions(program, type) ?? [];
+  const parentAdded = getParentAddedVersion(program, type, allVersions);
+  let added = getAddedOnVersions(program, type) ?? [];
   const removed = getRemovedOnVersions(program, type) ?? [];
   const typeChanged = getTypeChangedFrom(program, type);
   const returnTypeChanged = getReturnTypeChangedFrom(program, type);
@@ -807,27 +827,15 @@ export function getAvailabilityMap(
   )
     return undefined;
 
-  let parentMap: Map<string, Availability> | undefined = undefined;
-  if (type.kind === "ModelProperty" && type.model !== undefined) {
-    parentMap = getAvailabilityMap(program, type.model);
-  } else if (type.kind === "Operation" && type.interface !== undefined) {
-    parentMap = getAvailabilityMap(program, type.interface);
-  }
-
-  // implicitly, all versioned things are assumed to have been added at
-  // v1 if not specified
-  if (!added.length) {
-    if (parentMap !== undefined) {
-      parentMap.forEach((key, value) => {
-        if (key === Availability.Added.valueOf()) {
-          const match = allVersions.find((x) => x.name === value);
-          compilerAssert(match !== undefined, "Version not found");
-          added.push(match);
-        }
-      });
-    } else {
-      added.push(allVersions[0]);
-    }
+  if (!added.length && !parentAdded) {
+    // no version information on the item or its parent implicitly means it has always been available
+    added.push(allVersions[0]);
+  } else if (!added.length && parentAdded) {
+    // if no version info on type but is on parent, inherit that parent's "added" version
+    added.push(parentAdded);
+  } else if (added.length && parentAdded) {
+    // if "added" info on both the type and parent, combine them
+    added = [parentAdded, ...added];
   }
 
   // something isn't available by default
diff --git a/packages/versioning/test/versioning.test.ts b/packages/versioning/test/versioning.test.ts
index 102055e31a..baeea5adfb 100644
--- a/packages/versioning/test/versioning.test.ts
+++ b/packages/versioning/test/versioning.test.ts
@@ -289,14 +289,16 @@ describe("versioning: logic", () => {
         `@added(Versions.v2)
         model Test {
           a: int32;
-          @removed(Versions.v3) b: int32;
+          @removed(Versions.v3)
+          @added(Versions.v4)
+          b: int32;
         }
         `
       );
 
       assertHasProperties(v2, ["a", "b"]);
       assertHasProperties(v3, ["a"]);
-      assertHasProperties(v4, ["a"]);
+      assertHasProperties(v4, ["a", "b"]);
 
       assertModelProjectsTo(
         [
@@ -1402,12 +1404,15 @@ describe("versioning: logic", () => {
         `@added(Versions.v2)
         interface Test {
           allVersions(): void;
-          @removed(Versions.v3) version2Only(): void;
+          @removed(Versions.v3) 
+          @added(Versions.v4)
+          foo(): void;
         }
         `
       );
-      assertHasOperations(v2, ["allVersions", "version2Only"]);
+      assertHasOperations(v2, ["allVersions", "foo"]);
       assertHasOperations(v3, ["allVersions"]);
+      assertHasOperations(v4, ["allVersions", "foo"]);
       assertInterfaceProjectsTo(
         [
           [v2, "v2"],