diff --git a/src/H5public.h b/src/H5public.h
index 1f835f7dff..0a3b072f87 100644
--- a/src/H5public.h
+++ b/src/H5public.h
@@ -83,6 +83,17 @@ extern "C" {
 #define H5check()	H5check_version(H5_VERS_MAJOR,H5_VERS_MINOR,	      \
 				        H5_VERS_RELEASE)
 
+/* macros for comparing the version */
+#define H5_VERSION_GE(Maj,Min,Rel) \
+       (((H5_VERS_MAJOR==Maj) && (H5_VERS_MINOR==Min) && (H5_VERS_RELEASE>=Rel)) || \
+        ((H5_VERS_MAJOR==Maj) && (H5_VERS_MINOR>Min)) || \
+        (H5_VERS_MAJOR>Maj))
+
+#define H5_VERSION_LE(Maj,Min,Rel) \
+       (((H5_VERS_MAJOR==Maj) && (H5_VERS_MINOR==Min) && (H5_VERS_RELEASE<=Rel)) || \
+        ((H5_VERS_MAJOR==Maj) && (H5_VERS_MINOR<Min)) || \
+        (H5_VERS_MAJOR<Maj))
+
 /*
  * Status return values.  Failed integer functions in HDF5 result almost
  * always in a negative value (unsigned failing functions sometimes return
diff --git a/test/tfile.c b/test/tfile.c
index 79394916b2..89cc2bd022 100644
--- a/test/tfile.c
+++ b/test/tfile.c
@@ -3112,6 +3112,54 @@ test_libver_bounds(void)
     CHECK(ret, FAIL, "H5Fclose");
 } /* test_libver_bounds() */
 
+/****************************************************************
+**
+**  test_libver_macros():
+**	Verify that H5_VERSION_GE and H5_VERSION_LE work correactly.
+**
+****************************************************************/
+static void
+test_libver_macros(void)
+{
+    unsigned	major = H5_VERS_MAJOR;
+    unsigned	minor = H5_VERS_MINOR;
+    unsigned	release = H5_VERS_RELEASE;
+    herr_t	ret;                    /* Return value */
+
+    /* Output message about test being performed */
+    MESSAGE(5, ("Testing macros for library version comparison\n"));
+
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major,minor,release), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major-1,minor,release), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major-1,minor+1,release), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major-1,minor,release+1), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major,minor-1,release), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major,minor-1,release+1), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major,minor,release-1), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major+1,minor,release), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major+1,minor-1,release), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major+1,minor-1,release-1), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major,minor+1,release), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major,minor+1,release-1), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_GE(major,minor,release+1), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_GE");
+
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major,minor,release), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major+1,minor,release), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major+1,minor-1,release), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major+1,minor-1,release-1), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major,minor+1,release), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major,minor+1,release-1), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major,minor,release+1), TRUE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major-1,minor,release), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major-1,minor+1,release), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major-1,minor+1,release+1), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major,minor-1,release), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major,minor-1,release+1), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+    VERIFY(H5_VERSION_LE(major,minor,release-1), FALSE, "H5_VERSION_LE");
+} /* test_libver_macros() */
+
 /****************************************************************
 **
 **  test_deprec():
@@ -3292,6 +3340,7 @@ test_file(void)
     test_filespace_info();	/* Test file creation public routines:H5Pget/set_file_space */
     test_filespace_compatible();/* Test compatibility for file space management */
     test_libver_bounds();       /* Test compatibility for file space management */
+    test_libver_macros();       /* Test the macros for library version comparison */
 #ifndef H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS
     test_deprec();              /* Test deprecated routines */
 #endif /* H5_NO_DEPRECATED_SYMBOLS */