diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 474938ea..2bdba60e 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Changes in version 1.2.0:
     ecrt_domain_register_pdo_list() and ecrt_domain_register_pdo_range() may
     not be NULL any more.
   - Removed ecrt_slave_pdo_size(). This function was deprecated long before.
+  - Introduced ECRT_VERSION_MAGIC macro and ecrt_version_magic() function.
 * Device interface changes:
   - ec_isr_t was replaced by ec_pollfunc_t, the device driver has to supply
     a poll function to call its ISR. This was introduced because some network
diff --git a/include/ecrt.h b/include/ecrt.h
index 698069ca..24bbea7b 100644
--- a/include/ecrt.h
+++ b/include/ecrt.h
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
+#define ECRT_VER_MAJOR 1U
+#define ECRT_VER_MINOR 2U
+
+#define ECRT_VERSION(a,b) (((a) << 8) + (b))
+#define ECRT_VERSION_MAGIC ECRT_VERSION(ECRT_VER_MAJOR, ECRT_VER_MINOR)
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
 struct ec_master;
 typedef struct ec_master ec_master_t; /**< \see ec_master */
 
@@ -99,6 +107,8 @@ typedef enum {EC_DIR_INPUT, EC_DIR_OUTPUT} ec_direction_t;
 ec_master_t *ecrt_request_master(unsigned int master_index);
 void ecrt_release_master(ec_master_t *master);
 
+unsigned int ecrt_version_magic(void);
+
 /******************************************************************************
  *  Master methods
  *****************************************************************************/
diff --git a/master/module.c b/master/module.c
index 765ea608..67cd4296 100644
--- a/master/module.c
+++ b/master/module.c
@@ -400,6 +400,19 @@ void ecdev_close(ec_device_t *device /**< EtherCAT device */)
  *  Realtime interface
  *****************************************************************************/
 
+/**
+ * Returns the version magic of the realtime interface.
+ * \return ECRT version magic.
+ * \ingroup RealtimeInterface
+ */
+
+unsigned int ecrt_version_magic(void)
+{
+    return ECRT_VERSION_MAGIC;
+}
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
 /**
    Reserves an EtherCAT master for realtime operation.
    \return pointer to reserved master, or NULL on error