diff --git a/src/main/java/com/iota/iri/service/API.java b/src/main/java/com/iota/iri/service/API.java
index 675615b394..74278a28e8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/iota/iri/service/API.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/iota/iri/service/API.java
@@ -155,7 +155,12 @@ private void processRequest(final HttpServerExchange exchange) throws IOExceptio
 
         final long beginningTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
         final String body = IOUtils.toString(cis, StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
-        final AbstractResponse response = process(body, exchange.getSourceAddress());
+        final AbstractResponse response;
+        if (exchange.getRequestHeaders().contains("X-IOTA-API-Version")) {
+            response = process(body, exchange.getSourceAddress());
+        } else {
+            response = ErrorResponse.create("Invalid API Version");
+        }
         sendResponse(exchange, response, beginningTime);
     }
 
@@ -180,9 +185,6 @@ private AbstractResponse process(final String requestString, InetSocketAddress s
 
             log.debug("# {} -> Requesting command '{}'", counter.incrementAndGet(), command);
 
-            if (!request.containsKey("apiVersion")) {
-                return ErrorResponse.create("Invalid API Version");
-            }
             switch (command) {
 
                 case "addNeighbors": {