diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9ae60d3..813f4ac 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@
     "url": "git://github.com/ssbc/ssb-invite.git"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "npm run test:js && npm run lint",
+    "test": "npm run test:js && npm run test:js:old && npm run lint",
     "test:js": "tape 'test/*.test.js' | tap-arc",
+    "test:js:old": "OLD_DEPS=true npm run test:js",
     "lint": "standard --fix"
   },
   "dependencies": {
@@ -27,6 +28,10 @@
     "scuttle-testbot": "^2.2.0",
     "ssb-ebt": "^9.1.2",
     "ssb-friends": "^5.1.7",
+    "ssb-friends-4": "npm:ssb-friends@4.4.10",
+    "ssb-invite-2": "npm:ssb-invite@2.1.7",
+    "ssb-conn-1": "npm:ssb-conn@1.0.0",
+    "ssb-replicate": "^1.3.5",
     "ssb-replication-scheduler": "^3.1.0",
     "ssb-ws": "^6.2.3",
     "standard": "^17.1.0",
diff --git a/test/cross-version.test.js b/test/cross-version.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6ee9fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cross-version.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+/* eslint-disable no-useless-call */
+const test = require('tape')
+const crypto = require('crypto')
+const { promisify: p } = require('util')
+const pull = require('pull-stream')
+
+const caps = {
+  shs: crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('base64')
+}
+const skip = process.env.OLD_DEPS // these tests don't use util/testbot.js
+
+test('old peer → new pub', { skip }, async t => {
+  const peer = require('scuttle-testbot')
+    .use(require('ssb-invite-2'))
+    .use(require('ssb-replicate'))
+    .use(require('ssb-friends-4'))
+    .use(require('ssb-conn-1'))
+    .call(null, {
+      name: 'old-peer',
+      db1: true,
+      caps
+    })
+
+  const pub = require('scuttle-testbot')
+    .use(require('../')) // ssb-invite-3
+    .use(require('ssb-replicate'))
+    .use(require('ssb-friends-4'))
+    .use(require('ssb-conn-1'))
+    .call(null, {
+      name: 'new-pub',
+      db1: true,
+      caps,
+      allowPrivate: true
+    })
+
+  const invite = await p(pub.invite.create)({ uses: 1 })
+
+  await p(peer.invite.accept)(invite)
+
+  const readyPromise = pull(
+    pub.createHistoryStream({ id: peer.id, live: true }),
+    pull.filter(m => m.value.content.type === 'hello!'),
+    pull.take(1),
+    pull.collectAsPromise()
+  )
+
+  await p(peer.publish)({ type: 'hello!' })
+    .then(() => t.pass('peer publishes a new message'))
+    .catch(err => t.error(err, 'peer publishes a new message'))
+
+  const [{ value }] = await readyPromise
+  t.equal(value.author, peer.id, 'pub replicated message from peer')
+  t.equal(value.content.type, 'hello!', 'its hello!')
+
+  await Promise.all([
+    p(peer.close)(true),
+    p(pub.close)(true)
+  ])
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('new peer → old pub', { skip }, async t => {
+  const peer = require('scuttle-testbot')
+    .use(require('../')) // ssb-invite-3
+    .use(require('ssb-replicate'))
+    .use(require('ssb-friends-4'))
+    .use(require('ssb-conn-1'))
+    .call(null, {
+      name: 'old-peer',
+      db1: true,
+      caps
+    })
+
+  const pub = require('scuttle-testbot')
+    .use(require('ssb-invite-2'))
+    .use(require('ssb-replicate'))
+    .use(require('ssb-friends-4'))
+    .use(require('ssb-conn-1'))
+    .call(null, {
+      name: 'new-pub',
+      db1: true,
+      caps,
+      allowPrivate: true
+    })
+
+  const invite = await p(pub.invite.create)({ uses: 1 })
+
+  await p(peer.invite.accept)(invite)
+
+  const readyPromise = pull(
+    pub.createHistoryStream({ id: peer.id, live: true }),
+    pull.filter(m => m.value.content.type === 'hello!'),
+    pull.take(1),
+    pull.collectAsPromise()
+  )
+
+  await p(peer.publish)({ type: 'hello!' })
+    .then(() => t.pass('peer publishes a new message'))
+    .catch(err => t.error(err, 'peer publishes a new message'))
+
+  const [{ value }] = await readyPromise
+  t.equal(value.author, peer.id, 'pub replicated message from peer')
+  t.equal(value.content.type, 'hello!', 'its hello!')
+
+  await Promise.all([
+    p(peer.close)(true),
+    p(pub.close)(true)
+  ])
+  t.end()
+})
diff --git a/test/test-bot.js b/test/test-bot.js
index 3567c57..ef3cc4e 100644
--- a/test/test-bot.js
+++ b/test/test-bot.js
@@ -12,11 +12,20 @@ module.exports = function (opts = {}) {
 
   const stack = require('scuttle-testbot')
     .use(require('..'))
-    .use(require('ssb-friends'))
-    .use(require('ssb-ebt'))
-    .use(require('ssb-replication-scheduler'))
     .use(require('ssb-ws'))
 
+  if (process.env.OLD_DEPS) {
+    stack
+      .use(require('ssb-replicate'))
+      .use(require('ssb-friends-4'))
+      .use(require('ssb-conn-1'))
+  } else {
+    stack
+      .use(require('ssb-friends'))
+      .use(require('ssb-ebt'))
+      .use(require('ssb-replication-scheduler'))
+  }
+
   return stack({
     db1: true,
     ...opts