diff --git a/src/common.cu b/src/common.cu
index b8afa8d..4da475f 100644
--- a/src/common.cu
+++ b/src/common.cu
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #pragma weak ncclCommWindowDeregister
 #pragma weak ncclDevCommCreate
 #pragma weak ncclDevCommDestroy
+#pragma weak ncclCommQueryProperties
 
 #define DIVUP(x, y) \
     (((x)+(y)-1)/(y))
@@ -814,6 +815,13 @@ testResult_t threadInit(struct threadArgs* args) {
   /* Create device communicators based on test-specific requirements */
   if (deviceImpl) {
 #if NCCL_VERSION_CODE >= NCCL_VERSION(2,29,0)
+    if (test_ncclVersion < NCCL_VERSION(2,29,0)) {
+      fprintf(stderr,
+        "Incompatible NCCL versions. nccl-tests was compiled with NCCL %d, but is running with NCCL %d. "
+        "The %d Device API is not compatible with versions before 2.29.\n",
+        NCCL_VERSION_CODE, test_ncclVersion, NCCL_VERSION_CODE);
+      return testInvalidUsage;
+    }
     ncclDevCommRequirements reqs = NCCL_DEV_COMM_REQUIREMENTS_INITIALIZER;
     if (!ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements) {
       fprintf(stderr, "Device implementation %d is not supported by this test\n", deviceImpl);
@@ -823,6 +831,12 @@ testResult_t threadInit(struct threadArgs* args) {
     NCCLCHECK(ncclCommQueryProperties(args->comms[0], &commProperties));
     TESTCHECK(ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements(deviceImpl, &reqs, &commProperties));
 #else
+    if (test_ncclVersion >= NCCL_VERSION(2,29,0)) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "Incompatible NCCL versions. nccl-tests was compiled with NCCL 2.28, but is running with NCCL %d. "
+        "The 2.28 Device API is not compatible with later.\n",
+        test_ncclVersion);
+      return testInvalidUsage;
+    }
     ncclDevCommRequirements reqs = {};
     if (!ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements ||
         !ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements(deviceImpl, &reqs)) {
@@ -1396,21 +1410,33 @@ testResult_t run() {
      /* Create device communicators based on test-specific requirements */
      if (deviceImpl) {
 #if NCCL_VERSION_CODE >= NCCL_VERSION(2,29,0)
-     ncclDevCommRequirements reqs = NCCL_DEV_COMM_REQUIREMENTS_INITIALIZER;
-     if (!ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements) {
-       fprintf(stderr, "Device implementation %d is not supported by this test\n", deviceImpl);
-       return testNotImplemented;
-     }
-     ncclCommProperties commProperties = NCCL_COMM_PROPERTIES_INITIALIZER;
-     NCCLCHECK(ncclCommQueryProperties(comms[0], &commProperties));
-     TESTCHECK(ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements(deviceImpl, &reqs, &commProperties));
+      if (test_ncclVersion < NCCL_VERSION(2,29,0)) {
+        fprintf(stderr,
+          "Incompatible NCCL versions. nccl-tests was compiled with NCCL %d, but is running with NCCL %d. "
+          "The %d Device API is not compatible with versions before 2.29.\n",
+          NCCL_VERSION_CODE, test_ncclVersion, NCCL_VERSION_CODE);
+        return testInvalidUsage;
+      }
+      ncclDevCommRequirements reqs = NCCL_DEV_COMM_REQUIREMENTS_INITIALIZER;
+      if (!ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Device implementation %d is not supported by this test\n", deviceImpl);
+        return testNotImplemented;
+      }
+      ncclCommProperties commProperties = NCCL_COMM_PROPERTIES_INITIALIZER;
+      NCCLCHECK(ncclCommQueryProperties(comms[0], &commProperties));
+      TESTCHECK(ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements(deviceImpl, &reqs, &commProperties));
 #else
-     ncclDevCommRequirements reqs = {};
-     if (!ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements ||
-         !ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements(deviceImpl, &reqs)) {
-       fprintf(stderr, "Device implementation %d is not supported by this test\n", deviceImpl);
-       return testNotImplemented;
-     }
+      if (test_ncclVersion >= NCCL_VERSION(2,29,0)) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Incompatible NCCL versions. nccl-tests was compiled with NCCL 2.28, but is running with NCCL %d. "
+          "The 2.28 Device API is not compatible with later versions.\n", test_ncclVersion);
+        return testInvalidUsage;
+      }
+      ncclDevCommRequirements reqs = {};
+      if (!ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements ||
+          !ncclTestEngine.getDevCommRequirements(deviceImpl, &reqs)) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Device implementation %d is not supported by this test\n", deviceImpl);
+        return testNotImplemented;
+      }
 #endif
 
        NCCLCHECK(ncclGroupStart());
diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index ab9d3cb..8e3b516 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ typedef enum {
   testNcclError = 3,
   testTimeout = 4,
   testNotImplemented = 5,
-  testNumResults = 6
+  testInvalidUsage = 6,
+  testNumResults = 7, // Must be last
 } testResult_t;
 
 // Relay errors up and trace