diff --git a/src/include/index/index_group.h b/src/include/index/index_group.h
index 10d1b7468..f7ff07e42 100644
--- a/src/include/index/index_group.h
+++ b/src/include/index/index_group.h
@@ -318,6 +318,12 @@ class base_index_group {
     if (opened_for_ == TILEDB_WRITE) {
       set_dimensions(dimensions);
     }
+    if (empty(this->version_)) {
+      this->version_ = current_storage_version;
+    }
+    if (storage_formats.find(this->version_) == storage_formats.end()) {
+      throw std::runtime_error("Invalid storage version: " + this->version_);
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/include/index/ivf_flat_group.h b/src/include/index/ivf_flat_group.h
index a70fdbccc..9fec52929 100644
--- a/src/include/index/ivf_flat_group.h
+++ b/src/include/index/ivf_flat_group.h
@@ -136,9 +136,6 @@ class ivf_flat_group : public base_index_group<index_type> {
   }
 
   void create_default_impl() {
-    if (empty(this->version_)) {
-      this->version_ = current_storage_version;
-    }
     this->init_valid_array_names();
 
     static const int32_t tile_size{
diff --git a/src/include/index/ivf_pq_group.h b/src/include/index/ivf_pq_group.h
index b3ce93f0a..8d8b20b2e 100644
--- a/src/include/index/ivf_pq_group.h
+++ b/src/include/index/ivf_pq_group.h
@@ -245,9 +245,6 @@ class ivf_pq_group : public base_index_group<index_type> {
    * Create a ready-to-use group with default arrays
    ****************************************************************************/
   void create_default_impl() {
-    if (empty(this->version_)) {
-      this->version_ = current_storage_version;
-    }
     this->init_valid_array_names();
 
     static const int32_t tile_size{
diff --git a/src/include/index/vamana_group.h b/src/include/index/vamana_group.h
index b9a5482f6..a80b0b65b 100644
--- a/src/include/index/vamana_group.h
+++ b/src/include/index/vamana_group.h
@@ -198,9 +198,6 @@ class vamana_index_group : public base_index_group<index_type> {
   }
 
   void create_default_impl() {
-    if (empty(this->version_)) {
-      this->version_ = current_storage_version;
-    }
     this->init_valid_array_names();
 
     static const int32_t tile_size{
diff --git a/src/include/test/unit_api_ivf_pq_index.cc b/src/include/test/unit_api_ivf_pq_index.cc
index bc2cda8df..9936248d1 100644
--- a/src/include/test/unit_api_ivf_pq_index.cc
+++ b/src/include/test/unit_api_ivf_pq_index.cc
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ TEST_CASE("storage_version", "[api_ivf_pq_index]") {
     // Throw with the wrong version.
     CHECK_THROWS_WITH(
         index.write_index(ctx, index_uri, std::nullopt, "0.4"),
-        "Version mismatch. Requested 0.4 but found 0.3");
+        "Invalid storage version: 0.4");
     // Succeed without a version.
     index.write_index(ctx, index_uri);
     // Succeed with the same version.
diff --git a/src/include/test/unit_api_vamana_index.cc b/src/include/test/unit_api_vamana_index.cc
index 96c84e281..cfb52ce01 100644
--- a/src/include/test/unit_api_vamana_index.cc
+++ b/src/include/test/unit_api_vamana_index.cc
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ TEST_CASE("storage_version", "[api_vamana_index]") {
     // Throw with the wrong version.
     CHECK_THROWS_WITH(
         index.write_index(ctx, index_uri, std::nullopt, "0.4"),
-        "Version mismatch. Requested 0.4 but found 0.3");
+        "Invalid storage version: 0.4");
     // Succeed without a version.
     index.write_index(ctx, index_uri);
     // Succeed with the same version.
diff --git a/src/include/test/unit_ivf_flat_group.cc b/src/include/test/unit_ivf_flat_group.cc
index 1f503cb15..699a224e4 100644
--- a/src/include/test/unit_ivf_flat_group.cc
+++ b/src/include/test/unit_ivf_flat_group.cc
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ TEST_CASE("mismatched storage version", "[ivf_flat_group]") {
           TemporalPolicy{TimeTravel, 0},
           "different_version",
           10),
-      "Version mismatch. Requested different_version but found 0.3");
+      "Invalid storage version: different_version");
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("clear history", "[ivf_flat_group]") {
diff --git a/src/include/test/unit_ivf_pq_group.cc b/src/include/test/unit_ivf_pq_group.cc
index 925a9026e..c029bd1d4 100644
--- a/src/include/test/unit_ivf_pq_group.cc
+++ b/src/include/test/unit_ivf_pq_group.cc
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ TEST_CASE("mismatched storage version", "[ivf_pq_group]") {
           TemporalPolicy{TimeTravel, 0},
           "different_version",
           10),
-      "Version mismatch. Requested different_version but found 0.3");
+      "Invalid storage version: different_version");
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("clear history", "[ivf_pq_group]") {
diff --git a/src/include/test/unit_vamana_group.cc b/src/include/test/unit_vamana_group.cc
index f3e5a976d..d5740f907 100644
--- a/src/include/test/unit_vamana_group.cc
+++ b/src/include/test/unit_vamana_group.cc
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ TEST_CASE("mismatched storage version", "[vamana_group]") {
           TemporalPolicy{TimeTravel, 0},
           "different_version",
           10),
-      "Version mismatch. Requested different_version but found 0.3");
+      "Invalid storage version: different_version");
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("clear history", "[vamana_group]") {