diff --git a/SilKit/source/core/vasio/SerializedMessage.cpp b/SilKit/source/core/vasio/SerializedMessage.cpp
index 975695437..c9a74ee8c 100644
--- a/SilKit/source/core/vasio/SerializedMessage.cpp
+++ b/SilKit/source/core/vasio/SerializedMessage.cpp
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ void SerializedMessage::ReadNetworkHeaders()
         {
         case RegistryMessageKind::ParticipantAnnouncement:
         case RegistryMessageKind::KnownParticipants:
+        case RegistryMessageKind::RemoteParticipantConnectRequest:
             _registryMessageHeader = PeekRegistryMessageHeader(_buffer);
             break;
         case RegistryMessageKind::ParticipantAnnouncementReply:
@@ -141,7 +142,6 @@ void SerializedMessage::ReadNetworkHeaders()
                 throw ProtocolError("SerializedMessage: Unsupported protocol version encountered during handshake");
             }
             break;
-        case RegistryMessageKind::RemoteParticipantConnectRequest: break; // nothing to do
         case RegistryMessageKind::Invalid:
             throw ProtocolError("SerializedMessage: ReadNetworkHeaders() encountered RegistryMessageKind::Invalid");
         }
diff --git a/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioConnection.cpp b/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioConnection.cpp
index 453bf97a9..968f51057 100755
--- a/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioConnection.cpp
+++ b/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioConnection.cpp
@@ -829,6 +829,36 @@ void VAsioConnection::ReceiveRemoteParticipantConnectRequest(IVAsioPeer* peer, S
 {
     SILKIT_TRACE_METHOD_(_logger, "(...)");
 
+    const auto registryMsgHeader = buffer.GetRegistryMessageHeader();
+
+    // check if we support the remote peer's protocol version or signal a handshake failure
+    if (ProtocolVersionSupported(registryMsgHeader))
+    {
+        if (peer->GetInfo().participantId != RegistryParticipantId)
+        {
+            peer->SetProtocolVersion(ExtractProtocolVersion(registryMsgHeader));
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        Log::Warn(_logger,
+                  "Received RemoteParticipantConnectRequest from peer {} ({}) with unsupported protocol version {}.{}",
+                  peer->GetInfo().participantName, peer->GetRemoteAddress(), registryMsgHeader.versionHigh,
+                  registryMsgHeader.versionLow);
+
+        // ignore the request if it is sent via the registry (we cannot deserialize it anyway)
+        if (peer->GetInfo().participantId == RegistryParticipantId)
+        {
+            Log::Debug(_logger, "Dropping invalid RemoteParticipantConnectRequest from registry");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // it is not safe to decode the RemoteParticipantConnectRequest
+        LogAndPrintNetworkIncompatibility(registryMsgHeader, peer->GetRemoteAddress());
+
+        return;
+    }
+
     auto msg{buffer.Deserialize<RemoteParticipantConnectRequest>()};
 
     if (!_capabilities.HasRequestParticipantConnectionCapability())
@@ -1826,6 +1856,7 @@ void VAsioConnection::OnRemoteConnectionSuccess(std::unique_ptr<SilKit::Core::IV
     SILKIT_TRACE_METHOD_(_logger, "({})", vAsioPeer->GetInfo().participantName);
 
     RemoteParticipantConnectRequest msg;
+    msg.messageHeader = MakeRegistryMsgHeader(_version);
     msg.requestOrigin = vAsioPeer->GetInfo();
     msg.requestTarget = MakePeerInfo();
     msg.status = RemoteParticipantConnectRequest::ANNOUNCEMENT;
@@ -1841,6 +1872,7 @@ void VAsioConnection::OnRemoteConnectionFailure(SilKit::Core::VAsioPeerInfo peer
     SILKIT_TRACE_METHOD_(_logger, "({})", peerInfo.participantName);
 
     RemoteParticipantConnectRequest msg;
+    msg.messageHeader = MakeRegistryMsgHeader(_version);
     msg.requestOrigin = std::move(peerInfo);
     msg.requestTarget = MakePeerInfo();
     msg.status = RemoteParticipantConnectRequest::FAILED_TO_CONNECT;
@@ -1890,6 +1922,7 @@ bool VAsioConnection::TryRemoteConnectRequest(VAsioPeerInfo const& peerInfo)
     }
 
     RemoteParticipantConnectRequest request;
+    request.messageHeader = MakeRegistryMsgHeader(_version);
     request.requestOrigin = MakePeerInfo();
     request.requestTarget = peerInfo;
     request.status = RemoteParticipantConnectRequest::REQUEST;
diff --git a/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioDatatypes.hpp b/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioDatatypes.hpp
index 3df7d4acc..f1a83c116 100755
--- a/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioDatatypes.hpp
+++ b/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioDatatypes.hpp
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ struct RemoteParticipantConnectRequest
         ANNOUNCEMENT = 4,
     };
 
+    RegistryMsgHeader messageHeader;
+
     //! Peer that initially attempted to connect directly, but failed.
     SilKit::Core::VAsioPeerInfo requestOrigin;
     //! The peer that could not be connected to directly. This peer is instructed to initiate the remote connection.
diff --git a/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioSerdes.cpp b/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioSerdes.cpp
index ce66dd05c..798e67f37 100755
--- a/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioSerdes.cpp
+++ b/SilKit/source/core/vasio/VAsioSerdes.cpp
@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@ inline MessageBuffer& operator>>(MessageBuffer& buffer, ProxyMessage& out)
 inline MessageBuffer& operator<<(MessageBuffer& buffer, const RemoteParticipantConnectRequest& msg)
 {
 	buffer
+        << msg.messageHeader
 		<< msg.requestOrigin
         << msg.requestTarget
         << msg.status;
@@ -293,6 +294,7 @@ inline MessageBuffer& operator<<(MessageBuffer& buffer, const RemoteParticipantC
 inline MessageBuffer& operator>>(MessageBuffer& buffer, RemoteParticipantConnectRequest& out)
 {
 	buffer
+        >> out.messageHeader
 		>> out.requestOrigin
         >> out.requestTarget
         >> out.status;