diff --git a/swauth/swift_version.py b/swauth/swift_version.py
index cabe284..dd94e05 100644
--- a/swauth/swift_version.py
+++ b/swauth/swift_version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from sys import stderr
 import swift
 
 
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ def parse(value):
     major = int(parts.pop(0))
     minor = int(parts.pop(0))
     if parts:
-        revision = int(parts.pop(0))
+        revision = int(parts.pop(0).split('-', 1)[0])
     else:
         revision = 0
     return major, minor, revision, final
@@ -25,46 +26,65 @@ def parse(value):
 
 def newer_than(value):
     global MAJOR, MINOR, REVISION, FINAL
-    major, minor, revision, final = parse(value)
-    if MAJOR is None:
-        MAJOR, MINOR, REVISION, FINAL = parse(swift.__version__)
-    if MAJOR < major:
-        return False
-    elif MAJOR == major:
-        if MINOR < minor:
+    try:
+        major, minor, revision, final = parse(value)
+        if MAJOR is None:
+            MAJOR, MINOR, REVISION, FINAL = parse(swift.__version__)
+        if MAJOR < major:
             return False
-        elif MINOR == minor:
-            if REVISION < revision:
+        elif MAJOR == major:
+            if MINOR < minor:
                 return False
-            elif REVISION == revision:
-                if not FINAL or final:
+            elif MINOR == minor:
+                if REVISION < revision:
                     return False
+                elif REVISION == revision:
+                    if not FINAL or final:
+                        return False
+    except Exception as err:
+        stderr.write(
+            "Unable to automatically detect if %r is newer_than(%r) so just "
+            "assuming it is: %s\n" % (
+                getattr(swift, "__version__", "no swift.__version__"),
+                value, err))
     return True
 
 
 def run_tests():
-    global MAJOR, MINOR, REVISION, FINAL
-    MAJOR, MINOR, REVISION, FINAL = parse('1.3')
-    assert(newer_than('1.2'))
-    assert(newer_than('1.2.9'))
-    assert(newer_than('1.3-dev'))
-    assert(newer_than('1.3.0-dev'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.3'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.3.0'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.3.1-dev'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.3.1'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.4'))
-    assert(not newer_than('2.0'))
-    MAJOR, MINOR, REVISION, FINAL = parse('1.7.7-dev')
-    assert(newer_than('1.6'))
-    assert(newer_than('1.7'))
-    assert(newer_than('1.7.6-dev'))
-    assert(newer_than('1.7.6'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.7.7'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.7.8-dev'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.7.8'))
-    assert(not newer_than('1.8.0'))
-    assert(not newer_than('2.0'))
+    global MAJOR
+    orig_version = swift.__version__
+    try:
+        swift.__version__ = '1.3'
+        MAJOR = None
+        assert(newer_than('1.2'))
+        assert(newer_than('1.2.9'))
+        assert(newer_than('1.3-dev'))
+        assert(newer_than('1.3.0-dev'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.3'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.3.0'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.3.1-dev'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.3.1'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.4'))
+        assert(not newer_than('2.0'))
+        swift.__version__ = '1.7.7-dev'
+        MAJOR = None
+        assert(newer_than('1.6'))
+        assert(newer_than('1.7'))
+        assert(newer_than('1.7.6-dev'))
+        assert(newer_than('1.7.6'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.7.7'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.7.8-dev'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.7.8'))
+        assert(not newer_than('1.8.0'))
+        assert(not newer_than('2.0'))
+        swift.__version__ = '1.10.0-2.el6'
+        MAJOR = None
+        assert(not newer_than('2.0'))
+        swift.__version__ = 'garbage'
+        MAJOR = None
+        assert(newer_than('2.0'))
+    finally:
+        swift.__version__ = orig_version
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':