diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/character.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/character.cpp
index f190565da..fcd1ca19e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/character.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/character.cpp
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ void MWState::Character::addSlot (const boost::filesystem::path& path, const std
     ESM::ESMReader reader;
     reader.open (slot.mPath.string());
 
-    if (reader.getFormat()>ESM::Header::CurrentFormat)
-        return; // format is too new -> ignore
-
     if (reader.getRecName()!=ESM::REC_SAVE)
         return; // invalid save file -> ignore
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
index 2c0540fbc..192ad45fb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwstate/statemanagerimp.cpp
@@ -325,8 +325,6 @@ void MWState::StateManager::loadGame(const std::string& filepath)
     // have to peek into the save file to get the player name
     ESM::ESMReader reader;
     reader.open (filepath);
-    if (reader.getFormat()>ESM::Header::CurrentFormat)
-        return; // format is too new -> ignore
     if (reader.getRecName()!=ESM::REC_SAVE)
         return; // invalid save file -> ignore
     reader.getRecHeader();
@@ -348,6 +346,9 @@ void MWState::StateManager::loadGame (const Character *character, const std::str
         ESM::ESMReader reader;
         reader.open (filepath);
 
+        if (reader.getFormat() > ESM::SavedGame::sCurrentFormat)
+            throw std::runtime_error("This save file was created using a newer version of OpenMW and is thus not supported. Please upgrade to the newest OpenMW version to load this file.");
+
         std::map<int, int> contentFileMap = buildContentFileIndexMap (reader);
 
         Loading::Listener& listener = *MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->getLoadingScreen();