diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldVersion.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldVersion.java
index 5c31e9645c5..2d075cf0de5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldVersion.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldVersion.java
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public class ShieldVersion implements Serializable {
             return ShieldVersion.CURRENT;
         }
 
-        String[] parts = version.split("\\.");
+        String[] parts = version.split("\\.|\\-");
         if (parts.length < 3 || parts.length > 4) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("the version needs to contain major, minor and revision, and optionally the build");
         }
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ public class ShieldVersion implements Serializable {
             int build = 99;
             if (parts.length == 4) {
                 String buildStr = parts[3];
-                if (buildStr.startsWith("Beta")) {
+                if (buildStr.startsWith("beta")) {
                     build = Integer.parseInt(buildStr.substring(4));
                 }
-                if (buildStr.startsWith("RC")) {
+                if (buildStr.startsWith("rc")) {
                     build = Integer.parseInt(buildStr.substring(2)) + 50;
                 }
             }
@@ -191,9 +191,9 @@ public class ShieldVersion implements Serializable {
         StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
         sb.append(major).append('.').append(minor).append('.').append(revision);
         if (build < 50) {
-            sb.append(".Beta").append(build);
+            sb.append("-beta").append(build);
         } else if (build < 99) {
-            sb.append(".RC").append(build - 50);
+            sb.append("-rc").append(build - 50);
         }
         return sb.toString();
     }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldVersionTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldVersionTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1523e7181fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldVersionTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+package org.elasticsearch.shield;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchTestCase;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
+
+/**
+ *
+ */
+public class ShieldVersionTests extends ElasticsearchTestCase {
+
+    @Test
+    public void testStrings() throws Exception {
+        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
+            boolean beta = randomBoolean();
+            int buildNumber = beta ? randomIntBetween(0, 49) : randomIntBetween(0, 48);
+            int major = randomIntBetween(0, 20);
+            int minor = randomIntBetween(0, 20);
+            int revision = randomIntBetween(0, 20);
+
+            String build = buildNumber == 0 ? "" :
+                    beta ? "-beta" + buildNumber : "-rc" + buildNumber;
+
+
+            String versionName = new StringBuilder()
+                    .append(major)
+                    .append(".").append(minor)
+                    .append(".").append(revision)
+                    .append(build).toString();
+            ShieldVersion version = ShieldVersion.fromString(versionName);
+
+            logger.info("version: {}", versionName);
+
+            assertThat(version.major, is((byte) major));
+            assertThat(version.minor, is((byte) minor));
+            assertThat(version.revision, is((byte) revision));
+            if (buildNumber == 0) {
+                assertThat(version.build, is((byte) 99));
+            } else if (beta) {
+                assertThat(version.build, is((byte) buildNumber));
+            } else {
+                assertThat(version.build, is((byte) (buildNumber + 50)));
+            }
+
+            assertThat(version.number(), equalTo(versionName));
+        }
+    }
+}