--- /dev/null
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+test_description="database version and feature compatibility"
+
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+test_begin_subtest "future database versions abort open"
+${TEST_DIRECTORY}/make-db-version ${MAIL_DIR} 9999 ""
+output=$(notmuch search x 2>&1 | sed 's/\(database at\) .*/\1 FILENAME/')
+rm -rf ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch
+test_expect_equal "$output" "\
+Error: Notmuch database at FILENAME
+ has a newer database format version (9999) than supported by this
+ version of notmuch (3)."
+
+test_begin_subtest "unknown 'rw' feature aborts read/write open"
+${TEST_DIRECTORY}/make-db-version ${MAIL_DIR} 3 $'test feature\trw'
+output=$(notmuch new 2>&1 | sed 's/\(database at\) .*/\1 FILENAME/')
+rm -rf ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch
+test_expect_equal "$output" "\
+Error: Notmuch database at FILENAME
+ requires features (test feature)
+ not supported by this version of notmuch."
+
+test_begin_subtest "unknown 'rw' feature aborts read-only open"
+${TEST_DIRECTORY}/make-db-version ${MAIL_DIR} 3 $'test feature\trw'
+output=$(notmuch search x 2>&1 | sed 's/\(database at\) .*/\1 FILENAME/')
+rm -rf ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch
+test_expect_equal "$output" "\
+Error: Notmuch database at FILENAME
+ requires features (test feature)
+ not supported by this version of notmuch."
+
+test_begin_subtest "unknown 'w' feature aborts read/write open"
+${TEST_DIRECTORY}/make-db-version ${MAIL_DIR} 3 $'test feature\tw'
+output=$(notmuch new 2>&1 | sed 's/\(database at\) .*/\1 FILENAME/')
+rm -rf ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch
+test_expect_equal "$output" "\
+Error: Notmuch database at FILENAME
+ requires features (test feature)
+ not supported by this version of notmuch."
+
+test_begin_subtest "unknown 'w' feature does not abort read-only open"
+${TEST_DIRECTORY}/make-db-version ${MAIL_DIR} 3 $'test feature\tw'
+output=$(notmuch search x 2>&1 | sed 's/\(database at\) .*/\1 FILENAME/')
+rm -rf ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch
+test_expect_equal "$output" ""
+
+test_done