diff --git a/R/RcppExports.R b/R/RcppExports.R
index ad658f2c..be4bf9be 100644
--- a/R/RcppExports.R
+++ b/R/RcppExports.R
@@ -105,3 +105,7 @@ fast_weighted_sample <- function(size, probs) {
     .Call(`_malariasimulation_fast_weighted_sample`, size, probs)
 }
 
+individual_headers_version <- function() {
+    .Call(`_malariasimulation_individual_headers_version`)
+}
+
diff --git a/R/zzz.R b/R/zzz.R
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6859a0c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/zzz.R
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+.onLoad <- function(libname, pkgname){
+  headers_version <- individual_headers_version()
+  package_version <- as.character(packageVersion("individual"))
+  if (!identical(package_version, headers_version)) {
+    warning(sprintf(paste(
+      "malariasimulation was compiled against version '%s' of the individual,",
+      "but version '%s' is currently loaded. This is likely to cause,",
+      "malariasimulation to misbehave. You should re-install",
+      "malariasimulation. If using devtools, run `devtools::clean_dll` and",
+      "then load malariasimulation again."
+    ), headers_version, package_version))
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/RcppExports.cpp b/src/RcppExports.cpp
index e2a6b9d6..a4bb281f 100644
--- a/src/RcppExports.cpp
+++ b/src/RcppExports.cpp
@@ -347,6 +347,16 @@ BEGIN_RCPP
     return rcpp_result_gen;
 END_RCPP
 }
+// individual_headers_version
+std::string individual_headers_version();
+RcppExport SEXP _malariasimulation_individual_headers_version() {
+BEGIN_RCPP
+    Rcpp::RObject rcpp_result_gen;
+    Rcpp::RNGScope rcpp_rngScope_gen;
+    rcpp_result_gen = Rcpp::wrap(individual_headers_version());
+    return rcpp_result_gen;
+END_RCPP
+}
 
 RcppExport SEXP run_testthat_tests(void);
 
@@ -377,6 +387,7 @@ static const R_CallMethodDef CallEntries[] = {
     {"_malariasimulation_bernoulli_multi_p_cpp", (DL_FUNC) &_malariasimulation_bernoulli_multi_p_cpp, 1},
     {"_malariasimulation_bitset_index_cpp", (DL_FUNC) &_malariasimulation_bitset_index_cpp, 2},
     {"_malariasimulation_fast_weighted_sample", (DL_FUNC) &_malariasimulation_fast_weighted_sample, 2},
+    {"_malariasimulation_individual_headers_version", (DL_FUNC) &_malariasimulation_individual_headers_version, 0},
     {"run_testthat_tests", (DL_FUNC) &run_testthat_tests, 0},
     {NULL, NULL, 0}
 };
diff --git a/src/utils.cpp b/src/utils.cpp
index bc5162b4..70bddf30 100644
--- a/src/utils.cpp
+++ b/src/utils.cpp
@@ -62,3 +62,8 @@ Rcpp::IntegerVector fast_weighted_sample(
     values = values + 1;
     return values;
 }
+
+//[[Rcpp::export]]
+std::string individual_headers_version() {
+    return INDIVIDUAL_VERSION;
+}