diff --git a/application.cpp b/application.cpp
index 369872527..0f5e6a76b 100644
--- a/application.cpp
+++ b/application.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class application_impl {
       bfs::path               _data_dir;
 
       string                  _version;
+      uint64_t                _version_int;
 };
 
 application::application()
@@ -38,10 +39,18 @@ void application::set_version(string version) {
   my->_version = version;
 }
 
+void application::set_version(uint64_t version) {
+  my->_version_int = version;
+}
+
 string application::version() const {
   return my->_version;
 }
 
+uint64_t application::version_int() const {
+  return my->_version_int;
+}
+
 void application::startup() {
    for (auto plugin : initialized_plugins)
       plugin->startup();
diff --git a/include/appbase/application.hpp b/include/appbase/application.hpp
index e857de015..1d024f537 100644
--- a/include/appbase/application.hpp
+++ b/include/appbase/application.hpp
@@ -18,11 +18,21 @@ namespace appbase {
           * @param version Version string output verbatim with -v/--version
           */
          void set_version(string version);
+         /** @overload
+          *
+          * @param version Integer version independent of the string output with -v/--version
+          */
+         void set_version(uint64_t version);
          /** @brief Gets version string
           *
           * @return Version string output with -v/--version
           */
          string version() const;
+         /** @brief Gets version integer
+          *
+          * @return Version integer independent of the string output with -v/--version
+          */
+         uint64_t version_int() const;
          /**
           * @brief Looks for the --plugin commandline / config option and calls initialize on those plugins
           *