diff --git a/cmd/helm/upgrade.go b/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
index 989d73cdd..545f43c4e 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@ limitations under the License.
 package main
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/Masterminds/semver"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/chartutil"
@@ -180,6 +182,32 @@ func (u *upgradeCmd) run() error {
 
 	// Check chart requirements to make sure all dependencies are present in /charts
 	if ch, err := chartutil.Load(chartPath); err == nil {
+		res, err := u.client.ReleaseContent(u.release, helm.ContentReleaseVersion(0))
+		if err != nil {
+			return prettyError(err)
+		}
+		if res.Release.Chart.Metadata.Name != ch.Metadata.Name {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%q is not a release for chart %q", u.release, u.chart)
+		}
+		fmt.Println("Version requested:", u.version, "\nversion of chart:", res.Release.Chart.Metadata.Version)
+		if u.version != "" {
+			releaseVersion, err := semver.NewVersion(res.Release.Chart.Metadata.Version)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("invalid release version %q, %s", res.Release.Chart.Metadata.Version, err)
+			}
+			upgradeVersion, err := semver.NewVersion(u.version)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("invalid upgrade version %q, %s", u.version, err)
+			}
+			if releaseVersion.Equal(upgradeVersion) && !u.force {
+				return errors.New("no version change requested")
+			}
+
+			if releaseVersion.GreaterThan(upgradeVersion) && !u.force {
+				return fmt.Errorf("requested upgrade version %q is lower than current version of release %q.\nTIP: use force if want to downgrade the release", u.version, res.Release.Chart.Metadata.Version)
+			}
+		}
+
 		if req, err := chartutil.LoadRequirements(ch); err == nil {
 			if err := checkDependencies(ch, req); err != nil {
 				return err
diff --git a/cmd/helm/upgrade_test.go b/cmd/helm/upgrade_test.go
index 1c5d1c856..1f9ff592a 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/upgrade_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/upgrade_test.go
@@ -151,6 +151,40 @@ func TestUpgradeCmd(t *testing.T) {
 			resp: releaseMock(&releaseOptions{name: "bonkers-bunny", version: 1, chart: ch3}),
 			err:  true,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "upgrade a release with different chart",
+			args: []string{"funny-bunny", chartPath},
+			resp: releaseMock(&releaseOptions{name: "funny-bunny", chart: ch3}),
+			err:  true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "upgrade a release with bad version",
+			args:  []string{"funny-bunny", chartPath},
+			flags: []string{"--version", "a.b"},
+			resp:  releaseMock(&releaseOptions{name: "funny-bunny", chart: ch}),
+			err:   true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "upgrade a release with same version",
+			args:  []string{"funny-bunny", chartPath},
+			flags: []string{"--version", "0.1.0"},
+			resp:  releaseMock(&releaseOptions{name: "funny-bunny", chart: ch}),
+			err:   true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "upgrade a release with lesser version",
+			args:  []string{"funny-bunny", chartPath},
+			flags: []string{"--version", "0.0.1"},
+			resp:  releaseMock(&releaseOptions{name: "funny-bunny", chart: ch}),
+			err:   true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "force upgrade a release with lesser version",
+			args:     []string{"funny-bunny", chartPath},
+			flags:    []string{"--version", "0.0.1", "--force"},
+			resp:     releaseMock(&releaseOptions{name: "funny-bunny", chart: ch}),
+			expected: "Release \"funny-bunny\" has been upgraded. Happy Helming!\n",
+		},
 	}
 
 	cmd := func(c *helm.FakeClient, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {