diff --git a/src/fu-install-task.c b/src/fu-install-task.c
index 1ef286b58..5e44db5bd 100644
--- a/src/fu-install-task.c
+++ b/src/fu-install-task.c
@@ -92,6 +92,20 @@ fu_install_task_get_is_downgrade (FuInstallTask *self)
 	return self->is_downgrade;
 }
 
+static FuVersionFormat
+fu_install_task_guess_version_format (FuInstallTask *self, const gchar *version)
+{
+	const gchar *tmp;
+
+	/* explicit set */
+	tmp = xb_node_query_text (self->component, "custom/value[@key='LVFS::VersionFormat']", NULL);
+	if (tmp != NULL)
+		return fu_common_version_format_from_string (tmp);
+
+	/* count section from dotted notation */
+	return fu_common_version_guess_format (version);
+}
+
 /**
  * fu_install_task_check_requirements:
  * @self: A #FuInstallTask
@@ -109,6 +123,7 @@ fu_install_task_check_requirements (FuInstallTask *self,
 				    FwupdInstallFlags flags,
 				    GError **error)
 {
+	FuVersionFormat fmt;
 	const gchar *version;
 	const gchar *version_release;
 	const gchar *version_lowest;
@@ -217,6 +232,26 @@ fu_install_task_check_requirements (FuInstallTask *self,
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
+	/* check the version formats match */
+	fmt = fu_install_task_guess_version_format (self, version_release);
+	if (fmt != fu_device_get_version_format (self->device)) {
+		FuVersionFormat fmt_dev = fu_device_get_version_format (self->device);
+		if (flags & FWUPD_INSTALL_FLAG_FORCE) {
+			g_warning ("ignoring version format difference %s:%s",
+				   fu_common_version_format_to_string (fmt_dev),
+				   fu_common_version_format_to_string (fmt));
+		} else {
+			g_set_error (error,
+				     FWUPD_ERROR,
+				     FWUPD_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
+				     "Firmware version formats were different, "
+				     "device was '%s' and release is '%s'",
+				     fu_common_version_format_to_string (fmt_dev),
+				     fu_common_version_format_to_string (fmt));
+			return FALSE;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* compare to the lowest supported version, if it exists */
 	version_lowest = fu_device_get_version_lowest (self->device);
 	if (version_lowest != NULL &&
diff --git a/src/fu-self-test.c b/src/fu-self-test.c
index 3b6e2a310..8553487f0 100644
--- a/src/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/src/fu-self-test.c
@@ -433,6 +433,52 @@ fu_engine_requirements_device_func (void)
 	g_assert (ret);
 }
 
+static void
+fu_engine_requirements_version_format_func (void)
+{
+	gboolean ret;
+	g_autoptr(FuDevice) device = fu_device_new ();
+	g_autoptr(FuEngine) engine = fu_engine_new (FU_APP_FLAGS_NONE);
+	g_autoptr(FuInstallTask) task = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(XbNode) component = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(XbSilo) silo = NULL;
+	const gchar *xml =
+		"<component>"
+		"  <provides>"
+		"    <firmware type=\"flashed\">12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012</firmware>"
+		"  </provides>"
+		"  <releases>"
+		"    <release version=\"1.2.4\">"
+		"      <checksum type=\"sha1\" filename=\"bios.bin\" target=\"content\"/>"
+		"    </release>"
+		"  </releases>"
+		"</component>";
+
+	/* set up a dummy device */
+	fu_device_set_version (device, "1.2.3.4");
+	fu_device_add_flag (device, FWUPD_DEVICE_FLAG_UPDATABLE);
+	fu_device_add_guid (device, "12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012");
+
+	/* make the component require three things */
+	silo = xb_silo_new_from_xml (xml, &error);
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+	g_assert_nonnull (silo);
+	component = xb_silo_query_first (silo, "component", &error);
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+	g_assert_nonnull (component);
+
+	/* check this fails */
+	task = fu_install_task_new (device, component);
+	ret = fu_engine_check_requirements (engine, task,
+					    FWUPD_INSTALL_FLAG_NONE,
+					    &error);
+	g_assert_error (error, FWUPD_ERROR, FWUPD_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+	g_assert_nonnull (g_strstr_len (error->message, -1,
+					"Firmware version formats were different"));
+	g_assert (!ret);
+}
+
 static void
 fu_engine_requirements_other_device_func (void)
 {
@@ -3664,6 +3710,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 	g_test_add_func ("/fwupd/engine{requirements-not-child-fail}", fu_engine_requirements_child_fail_func);
 	g_test_add_func ("/fwupd/engine{requirements-unsupported}", fu_engine_requirements_unsupported_func);
 	g_test_add_func ("/fwupd/engine{requirements-device}", fu_engine_requirements_device_func);
+	g_test_add_func ("/fwupd/engine{requirements-version-format}", fu_engine_requirements_version_format_func);
 	g_test_add_func ("/fwupd/engine{device-auto-parent}", fu_engine_device_parent_func);
 	g_test_add_func ("/fwupd/engine{device-priority}", fu_engine_device_priority_func);
 	g_test_add_func ("/fwupd/engine{install-duration}", fu_engine_install_duration_func);