diff --git a/dbutils.c b/dbutils.c
index 7c8304e6..25a22ded 100644
--- a/dbutils.c
+++ b/dbutils.c
@@ -56,13 +56,21 @@ is_standby(PGconn *conn)
 }
 
 
-bool
-is_supported_version(PGconn *conn)
+/* 
+ * If postgreSQL version is 9 or superior returns the major version
+ * if 8 or inferior returns an empty string
+ */
+char *
+pg_version(PGconn *conn)
 {
 	PGresult	*res;
-	int			major_version;
+	char		*major_version;
 
-    res = PQexec(conn, "SELECT split_part(split_part(version(), ' ', 2), '.', 1)");
+	int			major_version1;
+	char		*major_version2;
+
+    res = PQexec(conn, "WITH pg_version(ver) AS (SELECT split_part(version(), ' ', 2)) "
+                       "SELECT split_part(ver, '.', 1), split_part(ver, '.', 2) FROM pg_version");
     if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
     {
 		fprintf(stderr, "PQexec failed: %s", PQerrorMessage(conn));
@@ -70,10 +78,20 @@ is_supported_version(PGconn *conn)
 		PQfinish(conn);
 		exit(1);
     }
-    major_version = atoi(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 0));
+    major_version1 = atoi(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 0));
+    major_version2 = PQgetvalue(res, 0, 1);
     PQclear(res);
 
-	return (major_version >= 9) ? true : false;
+	major_version = malloc(10);
+	if (major_version1 >= 9)
+	{
+		/* form a major version string */
+		sprintf(major_version, "%d.%s", major_version1, major_version2);
+	}
+	else
+		strcpy(major_version, "");
+
+	return major_version;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/dbutils.h b/dbutils.h
index 90e97ee4..a1f96a3f 100644
--- a/dbutils.h
+++ b/dbutils.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 PGconn *establishDBConnection(const char *conninfo, const bool exit_on_error);
 bool    is_standby(PGconn *conn);
-bool 	is_supported_version(PGconn *conn);
+char   *pg_version(PGconn *conn);
 bool 	guc_setted(PGconn *conn, const char *parameter, const char *op, const char *value);
 const char   *get_cluster_size(PGconn *conn);
 PGconn * getMasterConnection(PGconn *standby_conn, int id, char *cluster, int *master_id);
diff --git a/repmgr.c b/repmgr.c
index 51310369..77e12c02 100644
--- a/repmgr.c
+++ b/repmgr.c
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ do_master_register(void)
     char 		conninfo[MAXLEN]; 
 
 	bool		schema_exists = false;
+	const char *master_version = NULL;
 
 	/*
 	 * Read the configuration file: repmgr.conf
@@ -283,6 +284,15 @@ do_master_register(void)
 
     conn = establishDBConnection(conninfo, true);
 
+	/* master should be v9 or better */
+	master_version = pg_version(conn);
+	if (strcmp(master_version, "") == 0)
+	{
+		PQfinish(conn);
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs master to be PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* Check we are a master */
 	if (is_standby(conn))
 	{
@@ -436,6 +446,9 @@ do_standby_register(void)
 	int     	myLocalId   = -1;
     char 		conninfo[MAXLEN]; 
 
+	const char	*master_version = NULL;
+	const char	*standby_version = NULL;
+
 	/*
 	 * Read the configuration file: repmgr.conf
      */
@@ -449,6 +462,15 @@ do_standby_register(void)
 
     conn = establishDBConnection(conninfo, true);
 
+	/* should be v9 or better */
+	standby_version = pg_version(conn);
+	if (strcmp(standby_version, "") == 0)
+	{
+		PQfinish(conn);
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs standby to be PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* Check we are a standby */
 	if (!is_standby(conn))
 	{
@@ -482,6 +504,27 @@ do_standby_register(void)
 	if (!master_conn)
 		return;
 
+	/* master should be v9 or better */
+	master_version = pg_version(master_conn);
+	if (strcmp(master_version, "") == 0)
+	{
+		PQfinish(conn);
+		PQfinish(master_conn);
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs master to be PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* master and standby version should match */
+	if (strcmp(master_version, standby_version) == 0)
+	{
+		PQfinish(conn);
+		PQfinish(master_conn);
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs versions of both master (%s) and standby (%s) to match.\n"), 
+				progname, master_version, standby_version); 
+		return;
+	}
+
+
 	/* Now register the standby */
 	if (force)
 	{
@@ -517,6 +560,7 @@ do_standby_register(void)
 	return;
 }
 
+
 static void 
 do_standby_clone(void)
 {
@@ -538,6 +582,8 @@ do_standby_clone(void)
 	const char	*first_wal_segment = NULL; 
     const char	*last_wal_segment = NULL;
 
+	const char	*master_version = NULL;
+
 	/* if dest_dir hasn't been provided, initialize to current directory */
 	if (dest_dir == NULL)
 	{
@@ -619,10 +665,11 @@ do_standby_clone(void)
     }
 
 	/* primary should be v9 or better */
-	if (!is_supported_version(conn))
+	master_version = pg_version(conn);
+	if (strcmp(master_version, "") == 0)
 	{
 		PQfinish(conn);
-		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs master to be PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -903,6 +950,8 @@ do_standby_promote(void)
 	char		recovery_file_path[MAXLEN];
 	char		recovery_done_path[MAXLEN];
 
+	const char	*standby_version = NULL;
+
 	/*
 	 * Read the configuration file: repmgr.conf
      */
@@ -917,10 +966,12 @@ do_standby_promote(void)
 	/* We need to connect to check configuration */
     conn = establishDBConnection(conninfo, true);
 
-	if (!is_supported_version(conn))
+	/* we need v9 or better */
+	standby_version = pg_version(conn);
+	if (strcmp(standby_version, "") == 0)
 	{
 		PQfinish(conn);
-		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs standby to be PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -993,6 +1044,9 @@ do_standby_follow(void)
 	int			r;
 	char		data_dir[MAXLEN];
 
+	const char	*master_version = NULL;
+	const char	*standby_version = NULL;
+
 	/*
 	 * Read the configuration file: repmgr.conf
      */
@@ -1015,10 +1069,11 @@ do_standby_follow(void)
 	}
 
 	/* should be v9 or better */
-	if (!is_supported_version(conn))
+	standby_version = pg_version(conn);
+	if (strcmp(standby_version, "") == 0)
 	{
 		PQfinish(conn);
-		fprintf(stderr, _("\n%s needs PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
+		fprintf(stderr, _("\n%s needs standby to be PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1040,13 +1095,25 @@ do_standby_follow(void)
 	}
 
 	/* should be v9 or better */
-	if (!is_supported_version(master_conn))
+	master_version = pg_version(master_conn);
+	if (strcmp(master_version, "") == 0)
 	{
 		PQfinish(conn);
 		PQfinish(master_conn);
-		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs master to be PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
 		return;
 	}
+
+	/* master and standby version should match */
+	if (strcmp(master_version, standby_version) == 0)
+	{
+		PQfinish(conn);
+		PQfinish(master_conn);
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs versions of both master (%s) and standby (%s) to match.\n"), 
+				progname, master_version, standby_version); 
+		return;
+	}
+
 	PQfinish(master_conn);
 
 	if (verbose)
diff --git a/repmgrd.c b/repmgrd.c
index 288b31c4..befa06c4 100644
--- a/repmgrd.c
+++ b/repmgrd.c
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int			c;
 
     char conninfo[MAXLEN]; 
+	const char	*standby_version = NULL;
 
 	progname = get_progname(argv[0]);
 
@@ -136,6 +137,15 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     myLocalConn = establishDBConnection(conninfo, true);
 
+	/* should be v9 or better */
+	standby_version = pg_version(myLocalConn);
+	if (strcmp(standby_version, "") == 0)
+	{
+		PQfinish(myLocalConn);
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s needs standby to be PostgreSQL 9.0 or better\n"), progname); 
+		exit(1);
+	}
+
     /*
      * Set my server mode, establish a connection to primary
 	 * and start monitor