@@ -260,8 +260,13 @@ func (cli *Client) NegotiateAPIVersionPing(p types.Ping) {

 		p.APIVersion = "1.24"

 	}

-	// if server version is lower than the current cli, downgrade

-	if versions.LessThan(p.APIVersion, cli.ClientVersion()) {

+	// if the client is not initialized with a version, start with the latest supported version

+	if cli.version == "" {

+		cli.version = api.DefaultVersion

+	}

+

+	// if server version is lower than the maximum version supported by the Client, downgrade

+	if versions.LessThan(p.APIVersion, api.DefaultVersion) {

 		cli.version = p.APIVersion

 	}

 }