diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/GameRules/Settings.cs b/OpenRA.Game/GameRules/Settings.cs
index 448220c73f..8be6cfa6a3 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/GameRules/Settings.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/GameRules/Settings.cs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.GameRules
 		public bool Dedicated = false;
 		public bool DedicatedLoop = true;
 		public bool LockBots = false;
+		public bool AllowVersionMismatch = false;
 
 		public ServerSettings() { }
 
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.GameRules
 			Dedicated = other.Dedicated;
 			DedicatedLoop = other.DedicatedLoop;
 			LockBots = other.LockBots;
+			AllowVersionMismatch = other.AllowVersionMismatch;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.GameRules
 		public float LongTickThreshold = 0.001f;
 		public bool SanityCheckUnsyncedCode = false;
 		public int Samples = 25;
+		public bool IgnoreVersionMismatch = false;
 	}
 
 	public class GraphicSettings
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Network/GameServer.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Network/GameServer.cs
index 83e4945078..6bdd6bdb96 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Network/GameServer.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Network/GameServer.cs
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ namespace OpenRA.Network
 
 		static bool AreVersionsCompatible(string a, string b)
 		{
-			/* dev versions are assumed compatible; if you're using one,
-			 * we trust that you know what you're doing. */
+			if (Game.Settings.Debug.IgnoreVersionMismatch)
+				return true;
 
-			return a == "{DEV_VERSION}" || b == "{DEV_VERSION}" || a == b;
+			return a == b;
 		}
 
 		public bool CanJoin()
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Network/Session.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Network/Session.cs
index c10ff6fe82..f7198c45c8 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Network/Session.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Network/Session.cs
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Network
 			public bool Dedicated;
 			public string Difficulty;
 			public bool Crates = true;
+			public bool AllowVersionMismatch;
 		}
 
 		public Session(string[] mods)
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Server/Server.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Server/Server.cs
index 437a1927af..33086d414a 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Server/Server.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Server/Server.cs
@@ -283,12 +283,11 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server
 				var mods = handshake.Mods;
 
 				// Check that the client has compatible mods
-				var valid = mods.All( m => m.Contains('@')) && //valid format
-							mods.Count() == Game.CurrentMods.Count() &&  //same number
-							mods.Select( m => Pair.New(m.Split('@')[0], m.Split('@')[1])).All(kv => Game.CurrentMods.ContainsKey(kv.First) &&
-					 		(kv.Second == "{DEV_VERSION}" || Game.CurrentMods[kv.First].Version == "{DEV_VERSION}" || kv.Second == Game.CurrentMods[kv.First].Version));
-				
-				if (!valid)
+				var validMod = mods.All(m => m.Contains('@')) && //valid format
+					mods.Count() == Game.CurrentMods.Count() && //same number
+					mods.Select(m => Pair.New(m.Split('@')[0], m.Split('@')[1])).All(kv => Game.CurrentMods.ContainsKey(kv.First));
+
+				if (!validMod)
 				{
 					Log.Write("server", "Rejected connection from {0}; mods do not match.",
 						newConn.socket.RemoteEndPoint);
@@ -297,14 +296,16 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server
 					DropClient(newConn);
 					return;
 				}
-				
-				// Drop DEV_VERSION if it's a Dedicated
-				if ( lobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Dedicated &&  mods.Any(m => m.Contains("{DEV_VERSION}")) )
+
+				var validVersion = mods.Select(m => Pair.New(m.Split('@')[0], m.Split('@')[1])).All(
+					kv => kv.Second == Game.CurrentMods[kv.First].Version);
+
+				if (!validVersion && !lobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.AllowVersionMismatch)
 				{
-					Log.Write("server", "Rejected connection from {0}; DEV_VERSION is not allowed here.",
+					Log.Write("server", "Rejected connection from {0}; Not running the same version.",
 						newConn.socket.RemoteEndPoint);
 
-					SendOrderTo(newConn, "ServerError", "DEV_VERSION is not allowed here");
+					SendOrderTo(newConn, "ServerError", "Not running the same version.");
 					DropClient(newConn);
 					return;
 				}
@@ -366,8 +367,8 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server
 				}
 
 				if (mods.Any(m => m.Contains("{DEV_VERSION}")))
-					SendChat(newConn, "is running a development version, "+
-					"and may cause desync if they have any incompatible changes.");
+					SendChat(newConn, "is running a non-versioned development build, "+
+					"and may cause desync if it contains any incompatible changes.");
 			}
 			catch (Exception) { DropClient(newConn); }
 		}
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Widgets/Logic/SettingsMenuLogic.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Widgets/Logic/SettingsMenuLogic.cs
index 3c643c0df2..f7222d91a4 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Widgets/Logic/SettingsMenuLogic.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Widgets/Logic/SettingsMenuLogic.cs
@@ -230,6 +230,10 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.Widgets.Logic
 			longTickThreshold.Value = Game.Settings.Debug.LongTickThreshold;
 			longTickThreshold.OnChange += x => Game.Settings.Debug.LongTickThreshold = x;
 
+			var ignoreVersionMismatchCheckbox = debug.Get<CheckboxWidget>("IGNOREVERSIONMISMATCH_CHECKBOX");
+			ignoreVersionMismatchCheckbox.IsChecked = () => Game.Settings.Debug.IgnoreVersionMismatch;
+			ignoreVersionMismatchCheckbox.OnClick = () => Game.Settings.Debug.IgnoreVersionMismatch ^= true;
+
 			bg.Get<ButtonWidget>("BUTTON_CLOSE").OnClick = () =>
 			{
 				int x, y;
diff --git a/mods/ra/chrome/settings.yaml b/mods/ra/chrome/settings.yaml
index d6a38a33b1..eead630744 100644
--- a/mods/ra/chrome/settings.yaml
+++ b/mods/ra/chrome/settings.yaml
@@ -392,3 +392,9 @@ Background@SETTINGS_MENU:
 					Ticks:25
 					MinimumValue: 0.0001
 					MaximumValue: 0.01
+				Checkbox@IGNOREVERSIONMISMATCH_CHECKBOX:
+					X:0
+					Y:210
+					Width:300
+					Height:20
+					Text:Don't check for compatible version in game server browser.
\ No newline at end of file