diff --git a/src/version.h b/src/version.h
index 5854c5f01..ee742c1c8 100644
--- a/src/version.h
+++ b/src/version.h
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@
 #define MINSAVEVER 1848
 
 #if SVN_REVISION_NUMBER < MINSAVEVER
-// Never write a savegame with a version lower than what we need
-#define SAVEVER			MINSAVEVER
+// If we don't know the current revision write something very high to ensure that
+// the reesulting executable can read its own savegames but no regular engine can.
+#define SAVEVER			9999
 #define SAVESIG			MakeSaveSig()
 static inline const char *MakeSaveSig()
 {