diff --git a/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/AbstractSymmetricEngine.java b/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/AbstractSymmetricEngine.java
index 2702ed5813..aa7d1bf58c 100644
--- a/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/AbstractSymmetricEngine.java
+++ b/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/AbstractSymmetricEngine.java
@@ -509,10 +509,24 @@ public void setup() {
 
     public void setupDatabase(boolean force) {
         log.info("Initializing SymmetricDS database");
-        if (parameterService.is(ParameterConstants.AUTO_CONFIGURE_DATABASE) || force) {
-            symmetricDialect.initTablesAndDatabaseObjects();
+        boolean isAutoConfigDatabase = parameterService.is(ParameterConstants.AUTO_CONFIGURE_DATABASE);
+        boolean isAutoConfigDatabaseFast = parameterService.is(ParameterConstants.AUTO_CONFIGURE_DATABASE_FAST);
+
+        if (force || isAutoConfigDatabase) {
+        	if (isAutoConfigDatabaseFast && !hasSoftwareVersionChanged()) {
+        		log.info("Version matches for tables and objects");
+        	} else {
+	        	log.info("Checking tables and objects");
+	    		symmetricDialect.initTablesAndDatabaseObjects();
+        	}
         } else {
-            log.info("SymmetricDS is not configured to auto-create the database");
+        	if (hasSoftwareVersionChanged()) {
+        		throw new SymmetricException("Upgrade of SymmetricDS runtime tables to version " + Version.version() +
+        				" is required.  Enable " + ParameterConstants.AUTO_CONFIGURE_DATABASE 
+        				+ " parameter for automatic upgrade of tables or perform manual upgrade with symadmin.");
+        	} else {
+        		log.info("SymmetricDS is not configured to auto-create the database");
+        	}
         }
         try {
             configurationService.initDefaultChannels();
@@ -531,6 +545,14 @@ public void setupDatabase(boolean force) {
         log.info("Done initializing SymmetricDS database");
     }
 
+    protected boolean hasSoftwareVersionChanged() {
+    	Node identity = nodeService.findIdentity();
+    	if (identity != null) {
+	        return !Version.version().equals(identity.getSymmetricVersion());
+    	}
+    	return true;
+    }
+
     protected void autoConfigRegistrationServer() {
         Node node = nodeService.findIdentity();
 
diff --git a/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/common/ParameterConstants.java b/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/common/ParameterConstants.java
index 8a67151d85..cd1378060d 100644
--- a/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/common/ParameterConstants.java
+++ b/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/common/ParameterConstants.java
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ private ParameterConstants() {
     public final static String AUTO_SYNC_CONFIGURATION = "auto.sync.configuration";
     public final static String AUTO_SYNC_CONFIGURATION_ON_INCOMING = "auto.sync.configuration.on.incoming";
     public final static String AUTO_CONFIGURE_DATABASE = "auto.config.database";
+    public final static String AUTO_CONFIGURE_DATABASE_FAST = "auto.config.database.fast";
     public final static String AUTO_SYNC_TRIGGERS = "auto.sync.triggers";
     public final static String AUTO_SYNC_TRIGGERS_AT_STARTUP = "auto.sync.triggers.at.startup";
     public final static String AUTO_SYNC_CONFIG_AT_STARTUP = "auto.sync.config.at.startup";
diff --git a/symmetric-core/src/main/resources/symmetric-default.properties b/symmetric-core/src/main/resources/symmetric-default.properties
index 0ee3792fe5..b2924db022 100644
--- a/symmetric-core/src/main/resources/symmetric-default.properties
+++ b/symmetric-core/src/main/resources/symmetric-default.properties
@@ -617,6 +617,13 @@ auto.start.engine=true
 # Type: boolean
 auto.config.database=true
 
+# If both auto.config.database and this parameter are true when symmetric starts up, it will only try to create the necessary tables
+# if the current software version is different from the version used during the last start up (stored on sym_node.symmetric_version).
+#
+# Tags: general
+# Type: boolean
+auto.config.database.fast=true
+
 # If this is true, triggers will be created or dropped to match configuration during the sync triggers process.
 #
 # DatabaseOverridable: true