diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 8343029..3cc1539 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 
+- (Feb 23 2009) Added libssh2_version()
+
 - (Feb 20 2009) libssh2_channel_direct_tcpip_ex() bug #1902169 fixed, which
   caused it to fail when called a second time.
 
diff --git a/docs/Makefile.am b/docs/Makefile.am
index c638ba2..3e448aa 100644
--- a/docs/Makefile.am
+++ b/docs/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# $Id: Makefile.am,v 1.31 2008/12/26 07:46:45 bagder Exp $
+# $Id: Makefile.am,v 1.32 2009/02/23 16:22:46 bagder Exp $
 
 EXTRA_DIST = template.3
 
@@ -67,4 +67,5 @@ dist_man_MANS = \
 	libssh2_userauth_password_ex.3 \
 	libssh2_userauth_publickey_fromfile.3 \
 	libssh2_base64_decode.3 \
-	libssh2_trace.3
+	libssh2_trace.3 \
+	libssh2_version.3
diff --git a/docs/libssh2_version.3 b/docs/libssh2_version.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f4480c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/libssh2_version.3
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+.\" $Id: libssh2_version.3,v 1.1 2009/02/23 16:22:46 bagder Exp $
+.\"
+.TH libssh2_version 3 "23 Feb 2009" "libssh2 1.1" "libssh2 manual"
+.SH NAME
+libssh2_version - return the libssh2 version number
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+#include <libssh2.h>
+
+const char *
+libssh2_version(int required_version);
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+If \fIrequired_version\fP is lower than or equal to the version number of the
+libssh2 in use, the version number of libssh2 is returned as a pointer to a
+zero terminated string.
+
+The \fIrequired_version\fP should be the version number as constructed by the
+LIBSSH2_VERSION_NUM define in the libssh2.h public header file, which is a 24
+bit number in the 0xMMmmpp format. MM for major, mm for minor and pp for patch
+number.
+.SH RETURN VALUE
+The version number of libssh2 is returned as a pointer to a zero terminated
+string or NULL if the \fIrequired_version\fP isn't fulfilled.
+.SH EXAMPLE
+To make sure you run with the correct libssh2 version:
+
+.nf
+if (!libssh2_version(LIBSSH2_VERSION_NUM)) {
+  fprintf (stderr, \&"Runtime libssh2 version too old!\&");
+  exit(1);
+}
+.fi
+
+Unconditionally get the version number:
+
+printf(\&"libssh2 version: %s\&", libssh2_version(0) );
+.SH AVAILABILITY
+This function was added in libssh2 1.1, in previous versions there way no way
+to extract this info in run-time.
diff --git a/include/libssh2.h b/include/libssh2.h
index a70478f..1771052 100644
--- a/include/libssh2.h
+++ b/include/libssh2.h
@@ -652,6 +652,10 @@ LIBSSH2_API int libssh2_base64_decode(LIBSSH2_SESSION *session, char **dest,
                                       unsigned int *dest_len,
                                       const char *src, unsigned int src_len);
 
+LIBSSH2_API
+const char *libssh2_version(int req_version_num);
+
+
 /* NOTE NOTE NOTE
    libssh2_trace() has no function in builds that aren't built with debug
    enabled
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 7f7e498..8766b97 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-# $Id: Makefile.am,v 1.14 2009/02/16 21:49:31 jas4711 Exp $
+# $Id: Makefile.am,v 1.15 2009/02/23 16:22:46 bagder Exp $
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = foreign nostdinc
 
 libssh2_la_SOURCES = channel.c comp.c crypt.c hostkey.c kex.c mac.c	\
 misc.c packet.c publickey.c scp.c session.c sftp.c userauth.c		\
-libssh2_priv.h openssl.h libgcrypt.h transport.c
+libssh2_priv.h openssl.h libgcrypt.h transport.c version.c
 
 if LIBGCRYPT
 libssh2_la_SOURCES += libgcrypt.c pem.c
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df83018
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/* Copyright (C) 2009 Daniel Stenberg.  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms,
+ * with or without modification, are permitted provided
+ * that the following conditions are met:
+ *
+ *   Redistributions of source code must retain the above
+ *   copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
+ *   following disclaimer.
+ *
+ *   Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+ *   copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+ *   disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials
+ *   provided with the distribution.
+ *
+ *   Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names
+ *   of any other contributors may be used to endorse or
+ *   promote products derived from this software without
+ *   specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND
+ * CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
+ * INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+ * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR
+ * CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+ * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+ * SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+ * INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
+ * WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
+ * NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE
+ * USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
+ * OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "libssh2.h"
+
+/*
+  libssh2_version() can be used like this:
+
+  if (!libssh2_version(LIBSSH2_VERSION_NUM)) {
+    fprintf (stderr, "Runtime libssh2 version too old!\n");
+    exit(1);
+  }
+*/
+LIBSSH2_API
+const char *libssh2_version(int req_version_num)
+{
+    if(req_version_num <= LIBSSH2_VERSION_NUM)
+        return LIBSSH2_VERSION;
+    return NULL; /* this is not a suitable library! */
+}