diff --git a/axe.d.ts b/axe.d.ts
index b68b2c6f46..c373d6ece5 100644
--- a/axe.d.ts
+++ b/axe.d.ts
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ declare namespace axe {
 		checks?: Check[];
 		rules?: Rule[];
 		locale?: Locale;
+		axeVersion?: string;
 	}
 	interface Check {
 		id: string;
diff --git a/doc/API.md b/doc/API.md
index 109a51eb73..48b0c2c7ea 100644
--- a/doc/API.md
+++ b/doc/API.md
@@ -164,7 +164,8 @@ axe.configure({
 	reporter: 'option',
 	checks: [Object],
 	rules: [Object],
-	locale: Object
+	locale: Object,
+	axeVersion: String
 });
 ```
 
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ axe.configure({
       - `matches` - string(optional, default `*`). A filtering [CSS selector](./developer-guide.md#supported-css-selectors) that will exclude elements that do not match the CSS selector.
   - `disableOtherRules` - Disables all rules not included in the `rules` property.
   - `locale` - A locale object to apply (at runtime) to all rules and checks, in the same shape as `/locales/*.json`.
+  - `axeVersion` - Set the compatible version of a custom rule with the current axe version. Compatible versions are all patch and minor updates that are the same as, or newer than those of the `axeVersion` property.
 
 **Returns:** Nothing
 
diff --git a/lib/core/public/configure.js b/lib/core/public/configure.js
index 8e13f757e3..47b5de6654 100644
--- a/lib/core/public/configure.js
+++ b/lib/core/public/configure.js
@@ -8,6 +8,32 @@ function configureChecksRulesAndBranding(spec) {
 		throw new Error('No audit configured');
 	}
 
+	if (spec.axeVersion) {
+		if (!/^\d+\.\d+\.\d+(-canary)?/.test(spec.axeVersion)) {
+			throw new Error(`Invalid configured version ${spec.axeVersion}`);
+		}
+
+		let [version, canary] = spec.axeVersion.split('-');
+		let [major, minor, patch] = version.split('.').map(Number);
+
+		let [axeVersion, axeCanary] = axe.version.split('-');
+		let [axeMajor, axeMinor, axePatch] = axeVersion.split('.').map(Number);
+
+		if (
+			major !== axeMajor ||
+			axeMinor < minor ||
+			(axeMinor === minor && axePatch < patch) ||
+			(major === axeMajor &&
+				minor === axeMinor &&
+				patch === axePatch &&
+				((canary && axeCanary) || (canary && !axeCanary)))
+		) {
+			throw new Error(
+				`Configured version ${spec.axeVersion} is not compatible with current axe version ${axe.version}`
+			);
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (
 		spec.reporter &&
 		(typeof spec.reporter === 'function' || reporters[spec.reporter])
diff --git a/test/core/public/configure.js b/test/core/public/configure.js
index ed499eee2a..ce3c10846a 100644
--- a/test/core/public/configure.js
+++ b/test/core/public/configure.js
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 describe('axe.configure', function() {
 	'use strict';
 	var fixture = document.getElementById('fixture');
+	var axeVersion = axe.version;
 
 	afterEach(function() {
 		fixture.innerHTML = '';
+		axe.version = axeVersion;
 	});
 
 	beforeEach(function() {
@@ -571,4 +573,122 @@ describe('axe.configure', function() {
 			});
 		});
 	});
+
+	describe('given an axeVersion property', function() {
+		beforeEach(function() {
+			axe._load({});
+			axe.version = '1.2.3';
+		});
+
+		it('should not throw if version matches axe.version', function() {
+			assert.doesNotThrow(function fn() {
+				axe.configure({
+					axeVersion: '1.2.3'
+				});
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('should not throw if patch version is less than axe.version', function() {
+			assert.doesNotThrow(function fn() {
+				axe.configure({
+					axeVersion: '1.2.0'
+				});
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('should not throw if minor version is less than axe.version', function() {
+			assert.doesNotThrow(function fn() {
+				axe.configure({
+					axeVersion: '1.1.9'
+				});
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('should not throw if versions match and axe has a canary version', function() {
+			axe.version = '1.2.3-canary.2664bae';
+			assert.doesNotThrow(function fn() {
+				axe.configure({
+					axeVersion: '1.2.3'
+				});
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('should throw if invalid version', function() {
+			assert.throws(function fn() {
+				axe.configure({
+					axeVersion: '2'
+				});
+			}, 'Invalid configured version 2');
+
+			assert.throws(function fn() {
+				axe.configure({
+					axeVersion: '2..'
+				});
+			}, 'Invalid configured version 2..');
+		});
+
+		it('should throw if major version is different than axe.version', function() {
+			assert.throws(function fn() {
+				axe.configure(
+					{
+						axeVersion: '2.0.0'
+					},
+					/^Configured version/
+				);
+			});
+			assert.throws(function fn() {
+				axe.configure(
+					{
+						axeVersion: '0.1.2'
+					},
+					/^Configured version/
+				);
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('should throw if minor version is greater than axe.version', function() {
+			assert.throws(function fn() {
+				axe.configure(
+					{
+						axeVersion: '1.3.0'
+					},
+					/^Configured version/
+				);
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('should throw if patch version is greater than axe.version', function() {
+			assert.throws(function fn() {
+				axe.configure(
+					{
+						axeVersion: '1.2.9'
+					},
+					/^Configured version/
+				);
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('should throw if versions match and axeVersion has a canary version', function() {
+			assert.throws(function fn() {
+				axe.configure(
+					{
+						axeVersion: '1.2.3-canary.2664bae'
+					},
+					/^Configured version/
+				);
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('should throw if versions match and both have a canary version', function() {
+			axe.version = '1.2.3-canary.2664bae';
+			assert.throws(function fn() {
+				axe.configure(
+					{
+						axeVersion: '1.2.3-canary.a5d727c'
+					},
+					/^Configured version/
+				);
+			});
+		});
+	});
 });