diff --git a/docs/modding.md b/docs/modding.md
index 406a632229..bdb8618456 100644
--- a/docs/modding.md
+++ b/docs/modding.md
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ All fields are optional but recommended. `name` falls back to the filename, `ver
 ```cpp
 #include "dusk/mod_api.h"
 
+DUSK_REQUIRE_API_VERSION  // declares mod_api_version; loader rejects the mod if the engine is older
+
 extern "C" {
 
 void mod_init   (DuskModAPI* api);  // required, called once at startup
@@ -84,6 +86,8 @@ void mod_cleanup(DuskModAPI* api);  // optional, called on shutdown
 }
 ```
 
+`DUSK_REQUIRE_API_VERSION` is optional but recommended. When present, the loader will refuse to initialize the mod if its API version doesn't exactly match the engine's.
+
 ---
 
 ## DuskModAPI Reference
diff --git a/include/dusk/mod_api.h b/include/dusk/mod_api.h
index 6d7d75414d..8fa2f557f7 100644
--- a/include/dusk/mod_api.h
+++ b/include/dusk/mod_api.h
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ extern "C" {
 #  define DUSK_MOD_EXPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
 #endif
 
+// Place this once at file scope in your mod to declare the minimum API version required.
+// The loader will refuse to initialize the mod if the engine's API version is older.
+#define DUSK_REQUIRE_API_VERSION \
+    DUSK_MOD_EXPORT uint32_t mod_api_version = DUSK_MOD_API_VERSION;
+
 typedef struct DuskModAPI {
     uint32_t    api_version;
     const char* mod_dir;
diff --git a/src/dusk/mod_loader.cpp b/src/dusk/mod_loader.cpp
index 6094e2cb0c..416e6c15e7 100644
--- a/src/dusk/mod_loader.cpp
+++ b/src/dusk/mod_loader.cpp
@@ -274,6 +274,14 @@ void ModLoader::tryLoadDusk(const std::filesystem::path& modPath) {
     mod.mod_path = fs::absolute(modPath).string();
     mod.dir = fs::absolute(cacheDir).string();
     mod.handle = handle;
+    auto* mod_api_ver = reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(pl_dlsym(handle, "mod_api_version"));
+    if (mod_api_ver && *mod_api_ver != DUSK_MOD_API_VERSION) {
+        DuskLog.error("ModLoader: {} expects API v{} but engine is v{}, skipping",
+                      fs::path(dllEntry).filename().string(), *mod_api_ver, DUSK_MOD_API_VERSION);
+        pl_dlclose(handle);
+        return;
+    }
+
     mod.fn_init = reinterpret_cast<LoadedMod::FnInit>(pl_dlsym(handle, "mod_init"));
     mod.fn_tick = reinterpret_cast<LoadedMod::FnTick>(pl_dlsym(handle, "mod_tick"));
     mod.fn_cleanup = reinterpret_cast<LoadedMod::FnCleanup>(pl_dlsym(handle, "mod_cleanup"));