diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py b/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
index b12932a57c48..568aeee0973c 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
@@ -121,8 +121,7 @@ def __init__(self, name: str, project: str, suite: str, fname: T.List[str],
                  env: build.EnvironmentVariables, should_fail: bool,
                  timeout: T.Optional[int], workdir: T.Optional[str],
                  extra_paths: T.List[str], protocol: TestProtocol, priority: int,
-                 cmd_is_built: bool,
-                 depends: T.List[str]):
+                 cmd_is_built: bool, depends: T.List[str], version: str):
         self.name = name
         self.project_name = project
         self.suite = suite
@@ -143,6 +142,7 @@ def __init__(self, name: str, project: str, suite: str, fname: T.List[str],
         self.needs_exe_wrapper = needs_exe_wrapper
         self.cmd_is_built = cmd_is_built
         self.depends = depends
+        self.version = version
 
 
 def get_backend_from_name(backend: str, build: T.Optional[build.Build] = None, interpreter: T.Optional['Interpreter'] = None) -> T.Optional['Backend']:
@@ -864,7 +864,8 @@ def create_test_serialisation(self, tests: T.List['Test']) -> T.List[TestSeriali
                                    t.should_fail, t.timeout, t.workdir,
                                    extra_paths, t.protocol, t.priority,
                                    isinstance(exe, build.Executable),
-                                   [x.get_id() for x in depends])
+                                   [x.get_id() for x in depends],
+                                   self.environment.coredata.version)
             arr.append(ts)
         return arr
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/coredata.py b/mesonbuild/coredata.py
index 7e966a56c3ae..bba39428067c 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/coredata.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/coredata.py
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@
 _T = T.TypeVar('_T')
 
 class MesonVersionMismatchException(MesonException):
-    '''Build directory generated with Meson version incompatible with current version'''
+    '''Build directory generated with Meson version is incompatible with current version'''
     def __init__(self, old_version: str, current_version: str) -> None:
         super().__init__('Build directory has been generated with Meson version {}, '
-                         'which is incompatible with current version {}.'
+                         'which is incompatible with the current version {}.'
                          .format(old_version, current_version))
         self.old_version = old_version
         self.current_version = current_version
@@ -977,7 +977,7 @@ def get_cmd_line_options(build_dir: str, options: argparse.Namespace) -> str:
         cmdline += ['--native-file {}'.format(f) for f in options.native_file]
     return ' '.join([shlex.quote(x) for x in cmdline])
 
-def major_versions_differ(v1, v2):
+def major_versions_differ(v1: str, v2: str) -> bool:
     return v1.split('.')[0:2] != v2.split('.')[0:2]
 
 def load(build_dir: str) -> CoreData:
diff --git a/mesonbuild/mtest.py b/mesonbuild/mtest.py
index 86d7384062e2..c452254566bf 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mtest.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mtest.py
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
 from . import build
 from . import environment
 from . import mlog
+from .coredata import major_versions_differ, MesonVersionMismatchException
+from .coredata import version as coredata_version
 from .dependencies import ExternalProgram
 from .mesonlib import MesonException, get_wine_shortpath, split_args, join_args
 from .backend.backends import TestProtocol, TestSerialisation
@@ -574,27 +576,42 @@ def write_json_log(jsonlogfile: T.TextIO, test_name: str, result: TestRun) -> No
 def run_with_mono(fname: str) -> bool:
     return fname.endswith('.exe') and not (is_windows() or is_cygwin())
 
+def check_obj_major_version(objs: T.List[TestSerialisation]) -> None:
+    if not objs:
+        return
+    obj = objs[0]
+    if not hasattr(obj, 'version'):
+        raise MesonVersionMismatchException('<unknown>', coredata_version)
+    if major_versions_differ(obj.version, coredata_version):
+        raise MesonVersionMismatchException(obj.version, coredata_version)
+
 def load_benchmarks(build_dir: str) -> T.List[TestSerialisation]:
     datafile = Path(build_dir) / 'meson-private' / 'meson_benchmark_setup.dat'
     if not datafile.is_file():
         raise TestException('Directory {!r} does not seem to be a Meson build directory.'.format(build_dir))
     with datafile.open('rb') as f:
-        obj = pickle.load(f)
-        assert isinstance(obj, list)
-        for i in obj:
-            assert isinstance(i, TestSerialisation)
-    return obj
+        objs = pickle.load(f)
+        if not isinstance(objs, list):
+            raise MesonVersionMismatchException('<unknown>', coredata_version)
+        for i in objs:
+            if not isinstance(i, TestSerialisation):
+                raise MesonVersionMismatchException('<unknown>', coredata_version)
+    check_obj_major_version(objs)
+    return objs
 
 def load_tests(build_dir: str) -> T.List[TestSerialisation]:
     datafile = Path(build_dir) / 'meson-private' / 'meson_test_setup.dat'
     if not datafile.is_file():
         raise TestException('Directory {!r} does not seem to be a Meson build directory.'.format(build_dir))
     with datafile.open('rb') as f:
-        obj = pickle.load(f)
-        assert isinstance(obj, list)
-        for i in obj:
-            assert isinstance(i, TestSerialisation)
-    return obj
+        objs = pickle.load(f)
+        if not isinstance(objs, list):
+            raise MesonVersionMismatchException('<unknown>', coredata_version)
+        for i in objs:
+            if not isinstance(i, TestSerialisation):
+                raise MesonVersionMismatchException('<unknown>', coredata_version)
+    check_obj_major_version(objs)
+    return objs
 
 
 class SingleTestRunner: