diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index f10c988..fb0da21 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -75,9 +75,7 @@
 /* Check for libmicrohttp version at runtime
  *0.9.69 is the minimum version to prevent loss of special characters in form data (BinAuth and PreAuth) 
  */
-#define MIN_MHD_MAJOR 0
-#define MIN_MHD_MINOR 9
-#define MIN_MHD_PATCH 71
+#define MIN_MHD_VERSION "0.9.71"
 
 /** 
  * Remember the thread IDs of threads that simulate wait with pthread_cond_timedwait
@@ -347,40 +345,19 @@ setup_from_config(void)
 	debug(LOG_INFO, "tmpfs mountpoint is [%s]", config->tmpfsmountpoint);
 
 	// Check for libmicrohttp version at runtime, ie actual installed version
-	int major = 0;
-	int minor = 0;
-	int patch = 0;
-	int outdated = 1;
 	const char *version = MHD_get_version();
 
 	debug(LOG_NOTICE, "MHD version is %s", version);
 
-	if (sscanf(version, "%d.%d.%d", &major, &minor, &patch) == 3) {
+	if (semver_is_outdated(version, MIN_MHD_VERSION)) {
+		debug(LOG_ERR, "libmicrohttpd is out of date, please upgrade to version %s or higher",
+			MIN_MHD_VERSION);
 
-		if (major >= MIN_MHD_MAJOR) {
-			outdated = 0;
-
-		}
-
-		if (outdated == 0 && minor >= MIN_MHD_MINOR) {
-			outdated = 0;
-
-		}
-
-		if (outdated == 0 && patch >= MIN_MHD_PATCH) {
-			outdated = 0;
-		}
-
-		if (outdated == 1) {
-			debug(LOG_ERR, "libmicrohttpd is out of date, please upgrade to version %d.%d.%d or higher",
-				MIN_MHD_MAJOR, MIN_MHD_MINOR, MIN_MHD_PATCH);
-
-			if (config->use_outdated_mhd == 0) {
-				debug(LOG_ERR, "exiting...");
-				exit(1);
-			} else {
-				debug(LOG_ERR, "Attempting use of outdated MHD - Data may be corrupted or openNDS may fail...");
-			}
+		if (config->use_outdated_mhd == 0) {
+			debug(LOG_ERR, "exiting...");
+			exit(1);
+		} else {
+			debug(LOG_ERR, "Attempting use of outdated MHD - Data may be corrupted or openNDS may fail...");
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/util.c b/src/util.c
index ae39392..1f569c4 100644
--- a/src/util.c
+++ b/src/util.c
@@ -1438,3 +1438,26 @@ rand16(void)
 	 */
 	return( (unsigned short) (rand() >> 15) );
 }
+
+int 
+semver_is_outdated(const char *version, const char *min_version)
+{
+	int major, minor, patch;
+	int min_major, min_minor, min_patch;
+
+	if (sscanf(min_version, "%d.%d.%d", &min_major, &min_minor, &min_patch) != 3) {
+		debug(LOG_ERR, "BUG: Invalid minimum version format: %s", min_version);
+		return 1; // assume outdated
+	}
+
+	if (sscanf(version, "%d.%d.%d", &major, &minor, &patch) != 3) {
+		debug(LOG_ERR, "Invalid version format: %s", version);
+		return 1; // assume outdated
+	}
+
+	return (
+			major < min_major ||
+			(major == min_major && minor < min_minor) ||
+			(major == min_major && minor == min_minor && patch < min_patch)
+		);
+}
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index 26ff624..09993b8 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -133,4 +133,9 @@ unsigned short rand16(void);
  **/
 #define MAX_HOSTPORTLEN ( INET6_ADDRSTRLEN + sizeof("[]:65536")-1 )
 
+/*
+ * @brief Is the given semantic version outdated?
+ **/
+int semver_is_outdated(const char *version, const char *min_version);
+
 #endif /* _UTIL_H_ */