diff --git a/src/common/slurm_protocol_util.c b/src/common/slurm_protocol_util.c
index 424d6275ec48bcc2b80591385291f847d56618b5..73bda87537b715d6c89ef5c30368927e8f6ee903 100644
--- a/src/common/slurm_protocol_util.c
+++ b/src/common/slurm_protocol_util.c
@@ -83,12 +83,12 @@ void init_header(header_t *header, slurm_msg_t *msg,
 	   || msg->msg_type == ACCOUNTING_FIRST_REG) {
 		uint32_t rpc_version =
 			((accounting_update_msg_t *)msg->data)->rpc_version;
-		if(rpc_version < 5)
-			header->version = SLURM_1_3_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
-		else if(rpc_version < 6)
-			header->version = SLURM_2_0_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
-		else if(rpc_version >= 6)
+		if(rpc_version >= 6)
 			header->version = SLURM_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
+		else if(rpc_version >= 5)
+			header->version = SLURM_2_0_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
+		else
+			header->version = SLURM_1_3_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
 	} else 
 		header->version = SLURM_PROTOCOL_VERSION;