diff --git a/lib/rb/ext/binary_protocol_accelerated.c b/lib/rb/ext/binary_protocol_accelerated.c
index 8a6757f..fc4b675 100644
--- a/lib/rb/ext/binary_protocol_accelerated.c
+++ b/lib/rb/ext/binary_protocol_accelerated.c
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #include <struct.h>
 
 #define GET_TRANSPORT(obj) rb_ivar_get(obj, transport_ivar_id)
+#define GET_STRICT_READ(obj) rb_ivar_get(obj, strict_read_ivar_id)
+#define GET_STRICT_WRITE(obj) rb_ivar_get(obj, strict_write_ivar_id)
 #define WRITE(obj, data, length) rb_funcall(obj, write_method_id, 1, rb_str_new(data, length))
 #define CHECK_NIL(obj) if (NIL_P(obj)) { rb_raise(rb_eStandardError, "nil argument not allowed!");}
 
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@
 
 static int VERSION_1;
 static int VERSION_MASK;
+static int TYPE_MASK;
 static int BAD_VERSION;
 
 static void write_byte_direct(VALUE trans, int8_t b) {
@@ -97,9 +100,17 @@
 
 VALUE rb_thrift_binary_proto_write_message_begin(VALUE self, VALUE name, VALUE type, VALUE seqid) {
   VALUE trans = GET_TRANSPORT(self);
-  write_i32_direct(trans, VERSION_1 | FIX2INT(type));
-  write_string_direct(trans, name);
-  write_i32_direct(trans, FIX2INT(seqid));
+  VALUE strict_write = GET_STRICT_WRITE(self);
+
+  if (strict_write == Qtrue) {
+    write_i32_direct(trans, VERSION_1 | FIX2INT(type));
+    write_string_direct(trans, name);
+    write_i32_direct(trans, FIX2INT(seqid));
+  } else {
+    write_string_direct(trans, name);
+    write_byte_direct(trans, type);
+    write_i32_direct(trans, FIX2INT(seqid));
+  }
   
   return Qnil;
 }
@@ -260,14 +271,27 @@
 }
 
 VALUE rb_thrift_binary_proto_read_message_begin(VALUE self) {
-  int version = read_i32_direct(self);
-  if ((version & VERSION_MASK) != VERSION_1) {
-    rb_exc_raise(get_protocol_exception(INT2FIX(BAD_VERSION), rb_str_new2("Missing version identifier")));
-  }
+  VALUE strict_read = GET_STRICT_READ(self);
+  VALUE name, seqid;
+  int type;
   
-  int type = version & 0x000000ff;
-  VALUE name = rb_thrift_binary_proto_read_string(self);
-  VALUE seqid = rb_thrift_binary_proto_read_i32(self);
+  int version = read_i32_direct(self);
+  
+  if (version < 0) {
+    if ((version & VERSION_MASK) != VERSION_1) {
+      rb_exc_raise(get_protocol_exception(INT2FIX(BAD_VERSION), rb_str_new2("Missing version identifier")));
+    }
+    type = version & TYPE_MASK;
+    name = rb_thrift_binary_proto_read_string(self);
+    seqid = rb_thrift_binary_proto_read_i32(self);
+  } else {
+    if (strict_read == Qtrue) {
+      rb_exc_raise(get_protocol_exception(INT2FIX(BAD_VERSION), rb_str_new2("No version identifier, old protocol client?")));
+    }
+    name = READ(self, version);
+    type = rb_thrift_binary_proto_read_byte(self);
+    seqid = rb_thrift_binary_proto_read_i32(self);
+  }
   
   return rb_ary_new3(3, name, INT2FIX(type), seqid);
 }
@@ -339,6 +363,7 @@
   
   VERSION_1 = rb_num2ll(rb_const_get(thrift_binary_protocol_class, rb_intern("VERSION_1")));
   VERSION_MASK = rb_num2ll(rb_const_get(thrift_binary_protocol_class, rb_intern("VERSION_MASK")));
+  TYPE_MASK = rb_num2ll(rb_const_get(thrift_binary_protocol_class, rb_intern("TYPE_MASK")));
   
   VALUE bpa_class = rb_define_class_under(thrift_module, "BinaryProtocolAccelerated", thrift_binary_protocol_class);
   
diff --git a/lib/rb/ext/constants.h b/lib/rb/ext/constants.h
index e540234..1922fb1 100644
--- a/lib/rb/ext/constants.h
+++ b/lib/rb/ext/constants.h
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@
 
 extern ID fields_const_id;
 extern ID transport_ivar_id;
+extern ID strict_read_ivar_id;
+extern ID strict_write_ivar_id;
 
 extern VALUE type_sym;
 extern VALUE name_sym;
diff --git a/lib/rb/ext/thrift_native.c b/lib/rb/ext/thrift_native.c
index 89d32c5..4d5623d 100644
--- a/lib/rb/ext/thrift_native.c
+++ b/lib/rb/ext/thrift_native.c
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@
 // constant ids
 ID fields_const_id;
 ID transport_ivar_id;
+ID strict_read_ivar_id;
+ID strict_write_ivar_id;
 
 // cached symbols
 VALUE type_sym;
@@ -153,6 +155,8 @@
   // constant ids
   fields_const_id = rb_intern("FIELDS");
   transport_ivar_id = rb_intern("@trans");
+  strict_read_ivar_id = rb_intern("@strict_read");
+  strict_write_ivar_id = rb_intern("@strict_write");  
   
   // cached symbols
   type_sym = ID2SYM(rb_intern("type"));
diff --git a/lib/rb/lib/thrift/protocol/binaryprotocol.rb b/lib/rb/lib/thrift/protocol/binaryprotocol.rb
index f0fa3ad..c3d927a 100644
--- a/lib/rb/lib/thrift/protocol/binaryprotocol.rb
+++ b/lib/rb/lib/thrift/protocol/binaryprotocol.rb
@@ -13,14 +13,29 @@
   class BinaryProtocol < Protocol
     VERSION_MASK = 0xffff0000
     VERSION_1 = 0x80010000
+    TYPE_MASK = 0x000000ff
+    
+    attr_reader :strict_read, :strict_write
+
+    def initialize(trans, strict_read=true, strict_write=true)
+      super(trans)
+      @strict_read = strict_read
+      @strict_write = strict_write
+    end
 
     def write_message_begin(name, type, seqid)
       # this is necessary because we added (needed) bounds checking to 
       # write_i32, and 0x80010000 is too big for that.
-      write_i16(VERSION_1 >> 16)
-      write_i16(type)
-      write_string(name)
-      write_i32(seqid)
+      if strict_write
+        write_i16(VERSION_1 >> 16)
+        write_i16(type)
+        write_string(name)
+        write_i32(seqid)
+      else
+        write_string(name)
+        write_byte(type)
+        write_i32(seqid)
+      end
     end
 
     def write_field_begin(name, type, id)
@@ -82,13 +97,23 @@
 
     def read_message_begin
       version = read_i32
-      if (version & VERSION_MASK != VERSION_1)
-        raise ProtocolException.new(ProtocolException::BAD_VERSION, 'Missing version identifier')
+      if version < 0
+        if (version & VERSION_MASK != VERSION_1)
+          raise ProtocolException.new(ProtocolException::BAD_VERSION, 'Missing version identifier')
+        end
+        type = version & TYPE_MASK
+        name = read_string
+        seqid = read_i32
+        [name, type, seqid]
+      else
+        if strict_read
+          raise ProtocolException.new(ProtocolException::BAD_VERSION, 'No version identifier, old protocol client?')
+        end
+        name = trans.read_all(version)
+        type = read_byte
+        seqid = read_i32
+        [name, type, seqid]
       end
-      type = version & 0x000000ff
-      name = read_string
-      seqid = read_i32
-      [name, type, seqid]
     end
 
     def read_field_begin
diff --git a/lib/rb/spec/binaryprotocol_spec.rb b/lib/rb/spec/binaryprotocol_spec.rb
index b85f096..2d5b375 100644
--- a/lib/rb/spec/binaryprotocol_spec.rb
+++ b/lib/rb/spec/binaryprotocol_spec.rb
@@ -13,17 +13,28 @@
     end
 
     it "should read a message header" do
-      @prot.should_receive(:read_i32).and_return(protocol_class.const_get(:VERSION_1) | Thrift::MessageTypes::REPLY, 42)
+      @trans.should_receive(:read_all).exactly(2).times.and_return(
+        [protocol_class.const_get(:VERSION_1) | Thrift::MessageTypes::REPLY].pack('N'),
+        [42].pack('N')
+      )      
       @prot.should_receive(:read_string).and_return('testMessage')
       @prot.read_message_begin.should == ['testMessage', Thrift::MessageTypes::REPLY, 42]
     end
 
     it "should raise an exception if the message header has the wrong version" do
-      @prot.should_receive(:read_i32).and_return(42)
+      @prot.should_receive(:read_i32).and_return(-1)
       lambda { @prot.read_message_begin }.should raise_error(Thrift::ProtocolException, 'Missing version identifier') do |e|
         e.type == Thrift::ProtocolException::BAD_VERSION
       end
     end
+
+    it "should raise an exception if the message header does not exist and strict_read is enabled" do
+      @prot.should_receive(:read_i32).and_return(42)
+      @prot.should_receive(:strict_read).and_return(true)
+      lambda { @prot.read_message_begin }.should raise_error(Thrift::ProtocolException, 'No version identifier, old protocol client?') do |e|        
+        e.type == Thrift::ProtocolException::BAD_VERSION
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe BinaryProtocolFactory do
diff --git a/lib/rb/spec/binaryprotocol_spec_shared.rb b/lib/rb/spec/binaryprotocol_spec_shared.rb
index 78e2ccb..1d685b6 100644
--- a/lib/rb/spec/binaryprotocol_spec_shared.rb
+++ b/lib/rb/spec/binaryprotocol_spec_shared.rb
@@ -6,15 +6,37 @@
     @prot = protocol_class.new(@trans)
   end
 
-  it "should define the proper VERSION_1 and VERSION_MASK" do
+  it "should define the proper VERSION_1, VERSION_MASK AND TYPE_MASK" do
     protocol_class.const_get(:VERSION_MASK).should == 0xffff0000
     protocol_class.const_get(:VERSION_1).should == 0x80010000
+    protocol_class.const_get(:TYPE_MASK).should == 0x000000ff
   end
 
+  it "should make strict_read readable" do
+    @prot.strict_read.should eql(true)
+  end
+
+  it "should make strict_write readable" do
+    @prot.strict_write.should eql(true)
+  end    
+
   it "should write the message header" do
     @prot.write_message_begin('testMessage', Thrift::MessageTypes::CALL, 17)
     @trans.read(1000).should == [protocol_class.const_get(:VERSION_1) | Thrift::MessageTypes::CALL, "testMessage".size, "testMessage", 17].pack("NNa11N")
   end
+  
+  it "should write the message header without version when writes are not strict" do
+    @prot = protocol_class.new(@trans, true, false) # no strict write
+    @prot.write_message_begin('testMessage', Thrift::MessageTypes::CALL, 17)
+    @trans.read(1000).should == "\000\000\000\vtestMessage\001\000\000\000\021"
+  end
+  
+  it "should write the message header with a version when writes are strict" do
+    @prot = protocol_class.new(@trans) # strict write
+    @prot.write_message_begin('testMessage', Thrift::MessageTypes::CALL, 17)
+    @trans.read(1000).should == "\200\001\000\001\000\000\000\vtestMessage\000\000\000\021"
+  end
+  
 
   # message footer is a noop