diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty/MessageChannelHandler.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty/MessageChannelHandler.java
index 302f8296ad3..9eef4401144 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty/MessageChannelHandler.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty/MessageChannelHandler.java
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ public class MessageChannelHandler extends SimpleChannelUpstreamHandler {
                 }
                 streamIn = compressor.streamInput(streamIn);
             }
+            if (version.onOrAfter(Version.CURRENT.minimumCompatibilityVersion()) == false || version.major != Version.CURRENT.major) {
+                throw new IllegalStateException("Received message from unsupported version: [" + version
+                    + "] minimal compatible version is: [" +Version.CURRENT.minimumCompatibilityVersion() + "]");
+            }
             streamIn.setVersion(version);
             if (TransportStatus.isRequest(status)) {
                 threadContext.readHeaders(streamIn);