diff --git a/app/models/Document.js b/app/models/Document.js
index e64fd7aa..762c1d08 100644
--- a/app/models/Document.js
+++ b/app/models/Document.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 // @flow
 import { action, set, observable, computed } from 'mobx';
-import pkg from 'rich-markdown-editor/package.json';
 import addDays from 'date-fns/add_days';
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 import { client } from 'utils/ApiClient';
@@ -180,7 +179,6 @@ export default class Document extends BaseModel {
     try {
       if (isCreating) {
         return await this.store.create({
-          editorVersion: pkg.version,
           parentDocumentId: this.parentDocumentId,
           collectionId: this.collectionId,
           title: this.title,
@@ -194,7 +192,6 @@ export default class Document extends BaseModel {
         title: this.title,
         text: this.text,
         lastRevision: this.revision,
-        editorVersion: pkg.version,
         ...options,
       });
     } finally {
diff --git a/app/utils/ApiClient.js b/app/utils/ApiClient.js
index 11b39b2f..dfcaa147 100644
--- a/app/utils/ApiClient.js
+++ b/app/utils/ApiClient.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // @flow
+import pkg from 'rich-markdown-editor/package.json';
 import { map, trim } from 'lodash';
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 import stores from 'stores';
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ class ApiClient {
       Accept: 'application/json',
       'Content-Type': 'application/json',
       'cache-control': 'no-cache',
+      'x-editor-version': pkg.version,
       pragma: 'no-cache',
     });
     if (stores.auth.authenticated) {
@@ -100,6 +102,11 @@ class ApiClient {
       // we're trying to parse an error so JSON may not be valid
     }
 
+    if (response.status === 400 && error.error === 'editor_update_required') {
+      window.location.reload(true);
+      return;
+    }
+
     throw error;
   };
 
diff --git a/server/api/documents.js b/server/api/documents.js
index fb071556..872ae511 100644
--- a/server/api/documents.js
+++ b/server/api/documents.js
@@ -692,12 +692,13 @@ router.post('documents.create', auth(), async ctx => {
   const {
     title = '',
     text = '',
-    editorVersion,
     publish,
     collectionId,
     parentDocumentId,
     index,
   } = ctx.body;
+  const editorVersion = ctx.headers['x-editor-version'];
+
   ctx.assertUuid(collectionId, 'collectionId must be an uuid');
   if (parentDocumentId) {
     ctx.assertUuid(parentDocumentId, 'parentDocumentId must be an uuid');
@@ -787,10 +788,11 @@ router.post('documents.update', auth(), async ctx => {
     publish,
     autosave,
     done,
-    editorVersion,
     lastRevision,
     append,
   } = ctx.body;
+  const editorVersion = ctx.headers['x-editor-version'];
+
   ctx.assertPresent(id, 'id is required');
   ctx.assertPresent(title || text, 'title or text is required');
   if (append) ctx.assertPresent(text, 'Text is required while appending');
diff --git a/server/api/index.js b/server/api/index.js
index 82e34d4b..8380694a 100644
--- a/server/api/index.js
+++ b/server/api/index.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import validation from '../middlewares/validation';
 import methodOverride from '../middlewares/methodOverride';
 import cache from './middlewares/cache';
 import apiWrapper from './middlewares/apiWrapper';
+import editor from './middlewares/editor';
 
 const api = new Koa();
 const router = new Router();
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ api.use(methodOverride());
 api.use(cache());
 api.use(validation());
 api.use(apiWrapper());
+api.use(editor());
 
 // routes
 router.use('/', auth.routes());
diff --git a/server/api/middlewares/editor.js b/server/api/middlewares/editor.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da6ac4e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/api/middlewares/editor.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// @flow
+import { type Context } from 'koa';
+import pkg from 'rich-markdown-editor/package.json';
+import { EditorUpdateError } from '../../errors';
+
+export default function editor() {
+  return async function editorMiddleware(ctx: Context, next: () => Promise<*>) {
+    const editorVersion = ctx.headers['x-editor-version'];
+
+    // As the client can only ever be behind the server there's no need for a
+    // more strict check of version infront/behind here
+    if (editorVersion && editorVersion !== pkg.version) {
+      throw new EditorUpdateError();
+    }
+    return next();
+  };
+}
diff --git a/server/errors.js b/server/errors.js
index b35589ab..26a1111c 100644
--- a/server/errors.js
+++ b/server/errors.js
@@ -45,3 +45,9 @@ export function ParamRequiredError(
 export function ValidationError(message: string = 'Validation failed') {
   return httpErrors(400, message, { id: 'validation_error' });
 }
+
+export function EditorUpdateError(
+  message: string = 'The client editor is out of date and must be reloaded'
+) {
+  return httpErrors(400, message, { id: 'editor_update_required' });
+}