diff --git a/src/common/version.cpp b/src/common/version.cpp
index 18f6c3d4d..7bb138e55 100644
--- a/src/common/version.cpp
+++ b/src/common/version.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,59 @@
 
 #define VERSIONNAME "Die Wiederkehr"
 
+version_number_t::version_number_t()
+  : valid(false)
+{
+  memset(parts, 0, 5 * sizeof(unsigned int));
+}
+
+version_number_t::version_number_t(const std::string &s)
+  : valid(false)
+{
+  memset(parts, 0, 5 * sizeof(unsigned int));
+
+  static boost::regex s_version_number_re("^(\\d+)\\.(\\d+)\\.(\\d+)\(?:\\.(\\d+))?", boost::regex::perl);
+
+  boost::match_results<std::string::const_iterator> matches;
+  if (!boost::regex_search(s, matches, s_version_number_re))
+    return;
+
+  size_t idx;
+  for (idx = 1; 4 >= idx; ++idx) {
+    if (!matches[idx].str().empty())
+      parse_uint(matches[idx].str(), parts[idx - 1]);
+    else
+      parts[idx - 1] = 0;
+  }
+
+  valid = true;
+}
+
+version_number_t::version_number_t(const version_number_t &v) {
+  memcpy(parts, v.parts, 5 * sizeof(unsigned int));
+  valid = v.valid;
+}
+
+int
+version_number_t::compare(const version_number_t &cmp)
+  const
+{
+  size_t idx;
+  for (idx = 0; 5 > idx; ++idx)
+    if (parts[idx] < cmp.parts[idx])
+      return -1;
+    else if (parts[idx] > cmp.parts[idx])
+      return 1;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+bool
+version_number_t::operator <(const version_number_t &cmp)
+  const
+{
+  return compare(cmp) == -1;
+}
+
 std::string
 get_version_info(const std::string &program,
                  bool full) {
@@ -34,33 +87,7 @@ get_version_info(const std::string &program,
 #endif  // !defined(HAVE_BUILD_TIMESTAMP)
 }
 
-static unsigned int
-_parse_version_number(const std::string &version_str) {
-  static boost::regex s_version_number_re("(\\d+)\\.(\\d+)\\.(\\d+)\(?:\\.(\\d+))?", boost::regex::perl);
-
-  boost::match_results<std::string::const_iterator> matches;
-  if (!boost::regex_search(version_str, matches, s_version_number_re))
-    return 0;
-
-  unsigned int version = 0, idx;
-  for (idx = 1; 4 >= idx; ++idx) {
-    version <<= 8;
-    if (!matches[idx].str().empty()) {
-      uint32_t number = 0;
-      parse_uint(matches[idx].str(), number);
-      version += number;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return version;
-}
-
 int
 compare_current_version_to(const std::string &other_version_str) {
-  unsigned int my_version    = _parse_version_number(VERSION);
-  unsigned int other_version = _parse_version_number(other_version_str);
-
-  return my_version < other_version ? -1
-       : my_version > other_version ? +1
-       :                               0;
+  return version_number_t(VERSION).compare(version_number_t(other_version_str));
 }
diff --git a/src/common/version.h b/src/common/version.h
index 74d5f467e..acd509860 100644
--- a/src/common/version.h
+++ b/src/common/version.h
@@ -16,7 +16,20 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
+struct version_number_t {
+  unsigned int parts[5];
+  bool valid;
+
+  version_number_t();
+  version_number_t(const std::string &s);
+  version_number_t(const version_number_t &v);
+
+  bool operator <(const version_number_t &cmp) const;
+  int compare(const version_number_t &cmp) const;
+};
+
 std::string MTX_DLL_API get_version_info(const std::string &program, bool full = false);
 int MTX_DLL_API compare_current_version_to(const std::string &other_version_str);
+version_number_t MTX_DLL_API get_current_version();
 
 #endif  // __MTX_COMMON_VERSION_H