diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/ipc/IpcServer.cpp b/src/lib/deskflow/ipc/IpcServer.cpp
index 71607bcc6..50ebe04f5 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/ipc/IpcServer.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/ipc/IpcServer.cpp
@@ -112,12 +112,23 @@ void IpcServer::processMessage(QLocalSocket *clientSocket, const QString &messag
   }
 
   if (const auto &command = parts.at(0); command == "hello") {
+    if (parts.size() < 2) {
+      LOG_ERR("%s ipc client hello missing version", m_typeName.constData());
+      writeToClientSocket(clientSocket, "error=missing version");
+      clientSocket->flush();
+      clientSocket->disconnectFromServer();
+      return;
+    }
+
     const auto versionId = QStringLiteral("%1+%2").arg(kVersion, kVersionGitSha);
-    const auto clientVersion = parts.size() >= 2 ? parts.at(1) : QString();
+    const auto clientVersion = parts.at(1);
     LOG_DEBUG("%s ipc server got hello message (version: %s)", m_typeName.constData(), versionId.toUtf8().constData());
 
     if (clientVersion != versionId) {
-      LOG_ERR("%s ipc client version mismatch (server: %s)", m_typeName.constData(), versionId.toUtf8().constData());
+      LOG_ERR(
+          "%s ipc client version mismatch (client: %s, server: %s)", m_typeName.constData(),
+          clientVersion.toUtf8().constData(), versionId.toUtf8().constData()
+      );
       writeToClientSocket(clientSocket, QStringLiteral("error=version mismatch, expected: %1").arg(versionId));
       clientSocket->flush();
       clientSocket->disconnectFromServer();
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/ipc/IpcClient.cpp b/src/lib/gui/ipc/IpcClient.cpp
index 700e216b1..7418340b4 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/ipc/IpcClient.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/ipc/IpcClient.cpp
@@ -175,8 +175,15 @@ void IpcClient::handleHandshakeMessage(const QStringList &parts)
     return;
   }
 
+  if (parts.size() < 2) {
+    qCritical().noquote() << QStringLiteral("%1 ipc server hello missing version").arg(m_typeName);
+    disconnectFromServer();
+    Q_EMIT connectionFailed();
+    return;
+  }
+
   const auto versionId = QStringLiteral("%1+%2").arg(kVersion, kVersionGitSha);
-  const auto serverVersion = parts.size() >= 2 ? parts.at(1) : QString();
+  const auto serverVersion = parts.at(1);
   if (serverVersion != versionId) {
     qCritical().noquote(
     ) << QStringLiteral("%1 ipc version mismatch (client: %2 , server: %3)").arg(m_typeName, versionId, serverVersion);