diff --git a/src/app/app_version.h.cmakein b/src/app/app_version.h.cmakein
index 7fa0a830ddf..6d69f0d5dea 100644
--- a/src/app/app_version.h.cmakein
+++ b/src/app/app_version.h.cmakein
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ const char IDE_ID[]           = "${IDE_ID}";
 const char IDE_CASED_ID[]     = "${IDE_CASED_ID}";
 
 const char IDE_VERSION_DISPLAY[] = "${IDE_VERSION_DISPLAY}";
+const char IDE_VERSION_COMPAT[] = "${IDE_VERSION_COMPAT}";
 const char IDE_REVISION_STR[]    = "${IDE_REVISION_STR}";
 const char IDE_REVISION_URL_STR[] = "${IDE_REVISION_URL_STR}";
 
diff --git a/src/app/app_version.h.in b/src/app/app_version.h.in
index a3fc7f4b4ee..4682d282efb 100644
--- a/src/app/app_version.h.in
+++ b/src/app/app_version.h.in
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const char IDE_CASED_ID[] = \"$${IDE_CASED_ID}\";
 #define IDE_VERSION $${QTCREATOR_VERSION}
 #define IDE_VERSION_STR STRINGIFY(IDE_VERSION)
 #define IDE_VERSION_DISPLAY_DEF $${QTCREATOR_DISPLAY_VERSION}
+#define IDE_VERSION_COMPAT_DEF $${QTCREATOR_COMPAT_VERSION}
 
 #define IDE_VERSION_MAJOR $$replace(QTCREATOR_VERSION, "^(\\d+)\\.\\d+\\.\\d+(-.*)?$", \\1)
 #define IDE_VERSION_MINOR $$replace(QTCREATOR_VERSION, "^\\d+\\.(\\d+)\\.\\d+(-.*)?$", \\1)
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ const char IDE_CASED_ID[] = \"$${IDE_CASED_ID}\";
 
 const char IDE_VERSION_LONG[]      = IDE_VERSION_STR;
 const char IDE_VERSION_DISPLAY[]   = STRINGIFY(IDE_VERSION_DISPLAY_DEF);
+const char IDE_VERSION_COMPAT[]    = STRINGIFY(IDE_VERSION_COMPAT_DEF);
 const char IDE_AUTHOR[]            = \"The Qt Company Ltd\";
 const char IDE_YEAR[]              = \"$${QTCREATOR_COPYRIGHT_YEAR}\";
 
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ const char IDE_COPY_SETTINGS_FROM_VARIANT_STR[] = STRINGIFY(IDE_COPY_SETTINGS_FR
 const char IDE_COPY_SETTINGS_FROM_VARIANT_STR[] = \"\";
 #endif
 
+#undef IDE_VERSION_COMPAT_DEF
 #undef IDE_VERSION_DISPLAY_DEF
 #undef IDE_VERSION
 #undef IDE_VERSION_STR
diff --git a/src/app/app_version_header.qbs b/src/app/app_version_header.qbs
index 8bd2bc65bc3..4dd44c23851 100644
--- a/src/app/app_version_header.qbs
+++ b/src/app/app_version_header.qbs
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ Product {
                 // replace the magic qmake incantations
                 content = content.replace(/(\n#define IDE_VERSION_DISPLAY_DEF) .+\n/, "$1 "
                         + product.moduleProperty("qtc", "qtcreator_display_version") + "\n");
+                content = content.replace(/(\n#define IDE_VERSION_COMPAT_DEF) .+\n/, "$1 "
+                        + product.moduleProperty("qtc", "qtcreator_compat_version") + "\n");
                 content = content.replace(/(\n#define IDE_VERSION) .+\n/, "$1 "
                         + product.moduleProperty("qtc", "qtcreator_version") + "\n");
                 content = content.replace(/(\n#define IDE_VERSION_MAJOR) .+\n/, "$1 "
diff --git a/src/app/main.cpp b/src/app/main.cpp
index f2adb8b6206..cd566f218f6 100644
--- a/src/app/main.cpp
+++ b/src/app/main.cpp
@@ -237,7 +237,10 @@ static inline QStringList getPluginPaths()
     // patch versions
     const QString minorVersion = QString::number(IDE_VERSION_MAJOR) + '.'
                                  + QString::number(IDE_VERSION_MINOR) + '.';
-    for (int patchVersion = IDE_VERSION_RELEASE; patchVersion >= 0; --patchVersion)
+    const int minPatchVersion
+        = qMin(IDE_VERSION_RELEASE,
+               QVersionNumber::fromString(Core::Constants::IDE_VERSION_COMPAT).microVersion());
+    for (int patchVersion = IDE_VERSION_RELEASE; patchVersion >= minPatchVersion; --patchVersion)
         rc.push_back(pluginPath + minorVersion + QString::number(patchVersion));
     return rc;
 }