diff --git a/damnit/backend/db.py b/damnit/backend/db.py
index c2316a1e..015508ae 100644
--- a/damnit/backend/db.py
+++ b/damnit/backend/db.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def db_path(root_path: Path):
 DATA_FORMAT_VERSION = 1
 
 class DamnitDB:
-    def __init__(self, path=DB_NAME):
+    def __init__(self, path=DB_NAME, allow_old=False):
         db_existed = path.exists()
         log.debug("Opening database at %s", path)
         self.conn = sqlite3.connect(path, timeout=30)
@@ -100,10 +100,15 @@ def __init__(self, path=DB_NAME):
 
         if not db_existed:
             # If this is a new database, set the latest current version
-            self.metameta["data_format_version"] = DATA_FORMAT_VERSION
-        elif db_existed and "data_format_version" not in self.metameta:
-            # Otherwise this is a legacy database
-            self.metameta["data_format_version"] = 0
+            db_version = self.metameta["data_format_version"] = DATA_FORMAT_VERSION
+        else:
+            db_version = self.metameta.setdefault("data_format_version", 0)
+
+        if (not allow_old) and db_version < DATA_FORMAT_VERSION:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"Cannot open older (v{db_version}) database, please contact DA "
+                "for help migrating"
+            )
 
     @classmethod
     def from_dir(cls, path):
diff --git a/damnit/cli.py b/damnit/cli.py
index 81cef327..cf9ea4f9 100644
--- a/damnit/cli.py
+++ b/damnit/cli.py
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def main():
         from .backend.db import DamnitDB
         from .migrations import migrate_images, migrate_v0_to_v1
 
-        db = DamnitDB()
+        db = DamnitDB(allow_old=True)
 
         if args.migrate_subcmd == "images":
             migrate_images(db, Path.cwd(), args.dry_run)