diff --git a/src/ReplayReader.cpp b/src/ReplayReader.cpp
index 7a0200861..17f8a2a15 100644
--- a/src/ReplayReader.cpp
+++ b/src/ReplayReader.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ ReplayReader::ReplayReader()
 	numOrders = 0;
 	stepsUntilNextOrder = -1;
 	wideStepCounter = false;
+	versionMinor = VERSION_MINOR;
 	checksum = 0;
 }
 
@@ -89,6 +90,8 @@ bool ReplayReader::loadReplay(GAGCore::InputStream *inputStream, bool skipToOrde
 	// Replays written before version 87 store step counters as Uint16
 	wideStepCounter = (version_minor >= REPLAY_UINT32_STEP_COUNTER_VERSION_MINOR);
 
+	versionMinor = version_minor;
+
 	// If there are no orders, this is also not a valid replay (there should be at least a NullOrder)
 	if (stream->isEndOfStream())
 	{
@@ -112,6 +115,7 @@ bool ReplayReader::loadReplay(GAGCore::InputStream *inputStream, bool skipToOrde
 		{
 			// Read an order from the stream
 			NetSendOrder msg;
+			msg.setDecodeVersionMinor(versionMinor);
 			msg.decodeData(stream);
 			order = msg.getOrder();
 
@@ -213,6 +217,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<Order> ReplayReader::retrieveOrder()
 	{
 		// Read the order from the stream
 		NetSendOrder msg;
+		msg.setDecodeVersionMinor(versionMinor);
 		msg.decodeData(stream);
 		order = msg.getOrder();
 
diff --git a/src/ReplayReader.h b/src/ReplayReader.h
index 8ac4d41a4..57c83a30c 100644
--- a/src/ReplayReader.h
+++ b/src/ReplayReader.h
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ class ReplayReader
 	/// (format version >= REPLAY_UINT32_STEP_COUNTER_VERSION_MINOR)
 	bool wideStepCounter;
 
+	/// Format version from the replay header, used to decode orders.
+	Uint32 versionMinor;
+
 	/// The game's current checksum (or 0 if it's not given)
 	Uint32 checksum;
 };
diff --git a/src/net/message/OrderMessages.cpp b/src/net/message/OrderMessages.cpp
index d3fc34487..08a200a17 100644
--- a/src/net/message/OrderMessages.cpp
+++ b/src/net/message/OrderMessages.cpp
@@ -11,11 +11,18 @@ using namespace GAGCore;
 
 NetSendOrder::NetSendOrder()
 {
+	decodeVersionMinor=VERSION_MINOR;
 }
 
 NetSendOrder::NetSendOrder(std::shared_ptr<Order> newOrder)
 {
 	order=newOrder;
+	decodeVersionMinor=VERSION_MINOR;
+}
+
+void NetSendOrder::setDecodeVersionMinor(Uint32 newVersionMinor)
+{
+	decodeVersionMinor=newVersionMinor;
 }
 
 void NetSendOrder::changeOrder(std::shared_ptr<Order> newOrder)
@@ -66,7 +73,7 @@ void NetSendOrder::decodeData(GAGCore::InputStream* stream)
 	stream->read(buffer.data(), size, "data");
 	stream->readLeaveSection();
 
-	order = Order::getOrder(buffer.data(), size, VERSION_MINOR);
+	order = Order::getOrder(buffer.data(), size, decodeVersionMinor);
 
 	// If this couldn't be interpreted return it returned a NULL order, so we throw.
 	if (order == std::shared_ptr<Order>())
diff --git a/src/net/message/OrderMessages.h b/src/net/message/OrderMessages.h
index 9d2a8d251..752b4d288 100644
--- a/src/net/message/OrderMessages.h
+++ b/src/net/message/OrderMessages.h
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ class NetSendOrder : public NetMessage
 
 	void changeOrder(std::shared_ptr<Order> newOrder);
 
+	/// Sets the version used by subsequent decodeData() calls.
+	/// Defaults to VERSION_MINOR; replay readers supply their header version.
+	/// Does not affect encoding.
+	void setDecodeVersionMinor(Uint32 newVersionMinor);
+
 	Uint8 getMessageType() const;
 	void encodeData(GAGCore::OutputStream* stream) const;
 	/// Wire format: Uint32 size | size bytes payload | Uint8 sender | Uint32 checksum.
@@ -49,6 +54,8 @@ class NetSendOrder : public NetMessage
 	bool operator==(const NetMessage& rhs) const;
 private:
 	std::shared_ptr<Order> order;
+
+	Uint32 decodeVersionMinor;
 };
 
 /// Latency probe sent periodically to measure round-trip time.
diff --git a/test/ReplayStepCounterTest.cpp b/test/ReplayStepCounterTest.cpp
index e5682d4ab..889408ab1 100644
--- a/test/ReplayStepCounterTest.cpp
+++ b/test/ReplayStepCounterTest.cpp
@@ -81,8 +81,13 @@ class StepTestOrder : public MiscOrder
 	Uint8 getOrderType(void) { return ORDER_DELETE; }
 };
 
-std::shared_ptr<Order> Order::getOrder(const Uint8 *netData, int netDataLength, Uint32 /*versionMinor*/)
+// Record the requested version because supported replay versions currently
+// decode identically.
+Uint32 lastDecodeVersionMinor = 0;
+
+std::shared_ptr<Order> Order::getOrder(const Uint8 *netData, int netDataLength, Uint32 versionMinor)
 {
+	lastDecodeVersionMinor = versionMinor;
 	if (netDataLength < 1 || netData == NULL)
 		return std::shared_ptr<Order>();
 	if (netData[0] == ORDER_NULL)
@@ -257,6 +262,37 @@ void testVersionBounds()
 	}
 }
 
+// 4. Both the initial scan and playback use the replay header version.
+void testDecodeVersionPlumbing()
+{
+	const Uint16 oldVersion = REPLAY_MINIMUM_VERSION_MINOR;
+
+	// Require an older version so a hardcoded VERSION_MINOR cannot pass.
+	check(oldVersion != VERSION_MINOR,
+	      "decodeVersion: replay floor is below the current build version");
+
+	ReplayReader reader;
+	const bool wideCounters = oldVersion >= REPLAY_UINT32_STEP_COUNTER_VERSION_MINOR;
+	lastDecodeVersionMinor = 0;
+	bool loaded = reader.loadReplay(writeReplayBody(oldVersion, wideCounters, 7), false);
+	check(loaded, "decodeVersion: old-but-supported replay loads");
+	if (!loaded)
+		return;
+
+	check(lastDecodeVersionMinor == oldVersion,
+	      "decodeVersion: initial scan uses the replay header version");
+
+	// Reset the recorder to check playback independently of the initial scan.
+	lastDecodeVersionMinor = 0;
+
+	for (Uint32 i = 0; i < 7; i++)
+		reader.advanceStep();
+	std::shared_ptr<Order> order = reader.retrieveOrder();
+	check(order && order->getOrderType() == ORDER_DELETE, "decodeVersion: order read back");
+	check(lastDecodeVersionMinor == oldVersion,
+	      "decodeVersion: order decoded against the replay's version, not VERSION_MINOR");
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 
 int main(int /*argc*/, char* /*argv*/[])
@@ -264,6 +300,7 @@ int main(int /*argc*/, char* /*argv*/[])
 	testWideRoundTrip();
 	testOldFormatUint16();
 	testVersionBounds();
+	testDecodeVersionPlumbing();
 	std::printf(failures == 0 ? "ALL PASS\n" : "FAILURES: %d\n", failures);
 	return failures == 0 ? 0 : 1;
 }