diff --git a/lib/c/criu.c b/lib/c/criu.c
index de57a65dc..d052f8d1f 100644
--- a/lib/c/criu.c
+++ b/lib/c/criu.c
@@ -1668,3 +1668,68 @@ int criu_restore_child(void)
 {
 	return criu_local_restore_child(global_opts);
 }
+
+int criu_local_get_version(criu_opts *opts)
+{
+	int ret = -1;
+	CriuReq req	= CRIU_REQ__INIT;
+	CriuResp *resp	= NULL;
+
+	saved_errno = 0;
+
+	req.type	= CRIU_REQ_TYPE__VERSION;
+	req.opts	= opts->rpc;
+
+	ret = send_req_and_recv_resp(opts, &req, &resp);
+	if (ret)
+		goto exit;
+
+	if (resp->success) {
+		ret = resp->version->major_number * 10000;
+		ret += resp->version->minor_number * 100;
+		if (resp->version->has_sublevel)
+			ret += resp->version->sublevel;
+		if (resp->version->gitid) {
+			/* Taken from runc: a git release -> minor + 1 */
+			ret -= (ret % 100);
+			ret += 100;
+		}
+	} else {
+		ret = -EBADE;
+	}
+
+exit:
+	if (resp)
+		criu_resp__free_unpacked(resp, NULL);
+
+	swrk_wait(opts);
+
+	errno = saved_errno;
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int criu_get_version(void)
+{
+	return criu_local_get_version(global_opts);
+}
+
+int criu_local_check_version(criu_opts *opts, int minimum)
+{
+	int version;
+
+	version = criu_local_get_version(opts);
+
+	if (version < 0)
+		return version;
+
+	if (minimum <= version)
+		return 1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int criu_check_version(int minimum)
+{
+	return criu_local_check_version(global_opts, minimum);
+}
diff --git a/lib/c/criu.h b/lib/c/criu.h
index 3a9204f5b..49f7a7005 100644
--- a/lib/c/criu.h
+++ b/lib/c/criu.h
@@ -158,6 +158,35 @@ int criu_restore_child(void);
 typedef void *criu_predump_info;
 int criu_dump_iters(int (*more)(criu_predump_info pi));
 
+/*
+ * Get the version of the actual binary used for RPC.
+ *
+ * As this library is just forwarding all tasks to an
+ * independent (of this library) CRIU binary, the actual
+ * version of the CRIU binary can be different then the
+ * hardcoded values in the libary (version.h).
+ * To be able to easily check the version of the CRIU binary
+ * the function criu_get_version() returns the version
+ * in the following format:
+ *
+ * (major * 10000) + (minor * 100) + sublevel
+ *
+ * If the CRIU binary has been built from a git checkout
+ * minor will increased by one.
+ */
+int criu_get_version(void);
+
+/*
+ * Check if the version of the CRIU binary is at least
+ * 'minimum'. Version has to be in the same format as
+ * described for criu_get_version().
+ *
+ * Returns 1 if CRIU is at least 'minimum'.
+ * Returns 0 if CRIU is too old.
+ * Returns < 0 if there was an error.
+ */
+int criu_check_version(int minimum);
+
 /*
  * Same as the list above, but lets you have your very own options
  * structure and lets you set individual options in it.
@@ -229,6 +258,9 @@ int criu_local_restore(criu_opts *opts);
 int criu_local_restore_child(criu_opts *opts);
 int criu_local_dump_iters(criu_opts *opts, int (*more)(criu_predump_info pi));
 
+int criu_local_get_version(criu_opts *opts);
+int criu_local_check_version(criu_opts *opts, int minimum);
+
 #ifdef __GNUG__
 }
 #endif