diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureAnalogIO.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureAnalogIO.cs
index d1f6ba8..69ce0a0 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureAnalogIO.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureAnalogIO.cs
@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@ public override PropertyDescriptorCollection GetProperties(ITypeDescriptorContex
     static class AnalogIO
     {
         public const int ID = 22;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         // constants
         public const int ChannelCount = 12;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureBno055.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureBno055.cs
index 07daf71..2ae1b8f 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureBno055.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureBno055.cs
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class Bno055
     {
         public const int ID = 9;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         // constants
         public const float EulerAngleScale = 1f / 16; // 1 degree = 16 LSB
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureDigitalIO.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureDigitalIO.cs
index 6498d69..93a9669 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureDigitalIO.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureDigitalIO.cs
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class DigitalIO
     {
         public const int ID = 18;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         // managed registers
         public const uint ENABLE = 0x0;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHarpSyncInput.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHarpSyncInput.cs
index 141c870..21ef788 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHarpSyncInput.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHarpSyncInput.cs
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class HarpSyncInput
     {
         public const int ID = 30;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         // managed registers
         public const uint ENABLE = 0x0; // Enable or disable the data stream
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeadstage64ElectricalStimulator.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeadstage64ElectricalStimulator.cs
index decfb0b..21bcc02 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeadstage64ElectricalStimulator.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeadstage64ElectricalStimulator.cs
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class Headstage64ElectricalStimulator
     {
         public const int ID = 4;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 3;
 
         // NB: could be read from REZ but these are constant
         public const double DacBitDepth = 16;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeadstage64OpticalStimulator.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeadstage64OpticalStimulator.cs
index d98500d..0051aec 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeadstage64OpticalStimulator.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeadstage64OpticalStimulator.cs
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class Headstage64OpticalStimulator
     {
         public const int ID = 5;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 3;
 
         // NB: can be read with MINRHEOR and POTRES, but will not change
         public const uint MinRheostatResistanceOhms = 590;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeartbeat.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeartbeat.cs
index c5bc501..c410ca8 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeartbeat.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureHeartbeat.cs
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class Heartbeat
     {
         public const int ID = 12;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 1;
 
         public const uint ENABLE = 0;  // Enable the heartbeat
         public const uint CLK_DIV = 1;  // Heartbeat clock divider ratio. Default results in 10 Hz heartbeat. Values less than CLK_HZ / 10e6 Hz will result in 1kHz.
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureLoadTester.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureLoadTester.cs
index 107d0ee..b966826 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureLoadTester.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureLoadTester.cs
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class LoadTester
     {
         public const int ID = 27;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         public const uint ENABLE = 0;
         public const uint CLK_DIV = 1;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureMemoryMonitor.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureMemoryMonitor.cs
index be7cb56..f5408ad 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureMemoryMonitor.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureMemoryMonitor.cs
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class MemoryMonitor
     {
         public const int ID = 28;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         public const uint ENABLE = 0; // Enable the monitor
         public const uint CLK_DIV = 1; // Sample clock divider ratio. Values less than CLK_HZ / 10e6 Hz will result in 1kHz.
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureNric1384.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureNric1384.cs
index 3d7d936..1c16dd3 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureNric1384.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureNric1384.cs
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class Nric1384
     {
         public const int ID = 33;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 1;
 
         public const int I2cAddress = 0x70;
         public const int ChannelCount = 384;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureOutputClock.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureOutputClock.cs
index f5898db..2c71e71 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureOutputClock.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureOutputClock.cs
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class OutputClock
     {
         public const int ID = 20;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 1;
 
         public const uint NULL = 0; // No command
         public const uint CLOCK_GATE = 1;  // Output gate. Bit 0 = 0 is disabled, Bit 0 = 1 is enabled.
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigurePersistentHeartbeat.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigurePersistentHeartbeat.cs
index 8defeb9..9f6f438 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigurePersistentHeartbeat.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigurePersistentHeartbeat.cs
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class PersistentHeartbeat
     {
         public const int ID = 35;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 1;
 
         public const uint ENABLE = 0; // Heartbeat enable state (read only; always enabled for this device).
         public const uint CLK_DIV = 1; // Heartbeat clock divider ratio. Minimum value is CLK_HZ / 10e6.
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigurePortController.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigurePortController.cs
index 1c2e415..0bad98f 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigurePortController.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigurePortController.cs
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     internal static class PortController
     {
         public const int ID = 23;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         public const uint ENABLE = 0; // The LSB is used to enable or disable the device data stream
         public const uint GPOSTATE = 1; // GPO output state (bits 31 downto 3: ignore. bits 2 downto 0: ‘1’ = high, ‘0’ = low)
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhd2164.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhd2164.cs
index f9ed506..6b829c8 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhd2164.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhd2164.cs
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class Rhd2164
     {
         public const int ID = 3;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         // constants
         public const int AmplifierChannelCount = 64;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhs2116.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhs2116.cs
index c871c54..ce2adb3 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhs2116.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhs2116.cs
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class Rhs2116
     {
         public const int ID = 31;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 3;
 
         // constants
         public const int AmplifierChannelCount = 16;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhs2116Trigger.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhs2116Trigger.cs
index 7b9ab4d..7262fdb 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhs2116Trigger.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureRhs2116Trigger.cs
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ static void WriteStimulusSequence(DeviceContext device, Rhs2116StimulusSequence
     static class Rhs2116Trigger
     {
         public const int ID = 32;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         // managed registers
         public const uint ENABLE = 0; // Enable or disable the trigger event datastream
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureTS4231V1.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureTS4231V1.cs
index 31a8634..0069fca 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureTS4231V1.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ConfigureTS4231V1.cs
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ public override IObservable<ContextTask> Process(IObservable<ContextTask> source
     static class TS4231V1
     {
         public const int ID = 25;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 2;
 
         // managed registers
         public const uint ENABLE = 0x0; // Enable or disable the data output stream
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ContextHelper.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ContextHelper.cs
index 4ef429f..cf8c795 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/ContextHelper.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/ContextHelper.cs
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ public static DeviceContext GetDeviceContext(this ContextTask context, uint addr
                 ThrowInvalidDeviceException(expectedType, address);
             }
 
+            var minVersion = GetMinimumFirmwareVersion(expectedType);
+
+            if (device.Version < minVersion)
+            {
+                ThrowInvalidDeviceVersionException(expectedType, address, device.Version, minVersion);
+            }
+
             return new DeviceContext(context, device);
         }
 
@@ -60,6 +67,23 @@ static int GetDeviceID(Type deviceType)
             return (int)fieldInfo.GetRawConstantValue();
         }
 
+        static uint GetMinimumFirmwareVersion(Type deviceType)
+        {
+            var fieldInfo = deviceType.GetField(
+                "MinimumVersion",
+                BindingFlags.Static |
+                BindingFlags.Public |
+                BindingFlags.NonPublic |
+                BindingFlags.IgnoreCase);
+            if (fieldInfo == null || !fieldInfo.IsLiteral)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentException($"The specified device type {deviceType} does not have a const MinimumVersion field.", nameof(deviceType));
+            }
+
+            return (uint)fieldInfo.GetRawConstantValue();
+        }
+
+
         static void ThrowDeviceNotFoundException(Type expectedType, uint address)
         {
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Device '{expectedType.Name}' was not found in the device table at address {address}.");
@@ -70,6 +94,21 @@ static void ThrowInvalidDeviceException(Type expectedType, uint address)
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Invalid device ID. The device found at address {address} is not a '{expectedType.Name}' device.");
         }
 
+        static void ThrowInvalidDeviceVersionException(Type expectedType, uint address, uint deviceVersion, uint minimumVersion)
+        {
+            var assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
+            string libraryName = assembly.GetName().Name ?? "Unknown";
+            string libraryVersion = assembly.GetName().Version.ToString() ?? "Unknown";
+
+            Console.Error.WriteLine($"Error: The {expectedType.Name} device at address {address} is v{deviceVersion}, " +
+                $"but v{minimumVersion} is required by {libraryName} {libraryVersion}.");
+            Console.Error.WriteLine($"In order to use {libraryName} {libraryVersion} with this device, you will need to update it firmware. " +
+                $"Firmware update files and instructions can be found at https://open-ephys.github.io/onix-docs/index.html.");
+
+            throw new InvalidOperationException($"Invalid device version. The {expectedType.Name} device at address {address} is v{deviceVersion}, " +
+                $"but v{minimumVersion} is required.");
+        }
+
         internal static bool CheckDeviceType(Type deviceType, Type targetType)
         {
             if (deviceType == targetType) return true;
diff --git a/OpenEphys.Onix1/DS90UB9x.cs b/OpenEphys.Onix1/DS90UB9x.cs
index b984e47..24279de 100644
--- a/OpenEphys.Onix1/DS90UB9x.cs
+++ b/OpenEphys.Onix1/DS90UB9x.cs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ namespace OpenEphys.Onix1
     static class DS90UB9x
     {
         public const int ID = 24;
+        public const uint MinimumVersion = 3;
 
         // managed registers
         public const uint ENABLE = 0x8000;