diff --git a/api/api.go b/api/api.go
index ee5d3ea6b..25309b592 100644
--- a/api/api.go
+++ b/api/api.go
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ import (
 type Version struct {
 	Version string
 
+	// APIVersion is a binary encoded semver version of the remote implementing
+	// this api
+	//
+	// See APIVersion in build/version.go
+	APIVersion uint32
+
 	// TODO: git commit / os / genesis cid?
 }
 
diff --git a/build/version.go b/build/version.go
index 39e2ca1e2..d9c45d991 100644
--- a/build/version.go
+++ b/build/version.go
@@ -2,3 +2,20 @@ package build
 
 // Version is the local build version, set by build system
 const Version = "0.0.0"
+
+// APIVersion is a hex semver version of the rpc api exposed
+//
+//                   M M  P
+//                   A I  A
+//                   J N  T
+//                   O O  C
+//                   R R  H
+//                   |\vv/|
+//                   vv  vv
+const APIVersion = 0x000001
+
+const (
+	MajorMask = 0xff0000
+	MinorMask = 0xffff00
+	PatchMask = 0xffffff
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/init.go b/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/init.go
index 618e5de1e..4e8e6503b 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/init.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/init.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 	"gopkg.in/urfave/cli.v2"
 
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/build"
 	lcli "github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/cli"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/node/repo"
 )
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ var initCmd = &cli.Command{
 
 		log.Info("Trying to connect to full node RPC")
 
-		api, err := lcli.GetAPI(cctx)
+		api, err := lcli.GetAPI(cctx) // TODO: consider storing full node address in config
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -34,10 +35,25 @@ var initCmd = &cli.Command{
 
 		log.Info("Checking full node version")
 
+		v, err := api.Version(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if v.APIVersion & build.MinorMask != build.APIVersion & build.MinorMask {
+			return xerrors.Errorf("Remote API version didn't match (local %x, remote %x)", build.APIVersion, v.APIVersion)
+		}
+
+		log.Info("Initializing repo")
+
 		if err := r.Init(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
+		// create actors and stuff
+
+		log.Info("Storage miner successfully created, you can now start it with 'lotus-storage-miner run'")
+
 		return nil
 	},
 }
diff --git a/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/main.go b/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/main.go
index a6122ff9c..cf32da73d 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/main.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/main.go
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ var log = logging.Logger("main")
 func main() {
 	logging.SetLogLevel("*", "INFO")
 	local := []*cli.Command{
-		RunCmd,
+		runCmd,
+		initCmd,
 	}
 
 	app := &cli.App{
diff --git a/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/run.go b/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/run.go
index be870378f..89174a815 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/run.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus-storage-miner/run.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/node/repo"
 )
 
-var RunCmd = &cli.Command{
+var runCmd = &cli.Command{
 	Name:  "run",
 	Usage: "Start a lotus storage miner process",
 	Flags: []cli.Flag{