diff --git a/src/app/ProjectOpeningContext.cpp b/src/app/ProjectOpeningContext.cpp
index c6480318a..29f7711bb 100644
--- a/src/app/ProjectOpeningContext.cpp
+++ b/src/app/ProjectOpeningContext.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ ProjectOpeningContext::~ProjectOpeningContext() {
 void ProjectOpeningContext::proceed() {
   if (!m_reader.success()) {
     deleteLater();
-    if (!m_reader.getVersion().isNull() && (m_reader.getVersion().toInt() != PROJECT_VERSION)) {
+    const int version = m_reader.getVersion().toInt();
+    if (!m_reader.getVersion().isNull() && (version < 3 || version > PROJECT_VERSION)) {
       QMessageBox::warning(m_parent, tr("Error"),
                            tr("The project file is not compatible with the current application version."));
       return;
diff --git a/src/core/ProjectReader.cpp b/src/core/ProjectReader.cpp
index 5eeb30c77..b5e732804 100644
--- a/src/core/ProjectReader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/ProjectReader.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ ProjectReader::ProjectReader(const QDomDocument& doc, const QString& projectFile
   QDomElement projectEl(m_doc.documentElement());
 
   m_version = projectEl.attribute("version");
-  if (m_version.isNull() || (m_version.toInt() != PROJECT_VERSION)) {
+  // Version 3 projects (4lex4-era through v1.1.x) are readable as is:
+  // attributes added since then all have fallbacks in the readers.
+  const int version = m_version.toInt();
+  if (m_version.isNull() || version < 3 || version > PROJECT_VERSION) {
     return;
   }