diff --git a/inference/server/main.py b/inference/server/main.py
index dc8c734ab3..34acefcb82 100644
--- a/inference/server/main.py
+++ b/inference/server/main.py
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ async def enable_prom_metrics():
     Instrumentator().instrument(app).expose(app)
 
 
+@app.on_event("startup")
+async def log_inference_protocol_version():
+    logger.info(f"Inference protocol version: {inference.INFERENCE_PROTOCOL_VERSION}")
+
+
 # Allow CORS
 app.add_middleware(
     CORSMiddleware,
@@ -70,19 +75,34 @@ def manual_chat_repository():
 api_key_header = fastapi.Header(None, alias="X-API-Key")
 
 
-def get_api_key(api_key_header: str = api_key_header) -> str:
-    if api_key_header is None:
+def get_api_key(api_key: str = api_key_header) -> str:
+    if api_key is None:
         raise fastapi.HTTPException(
             status_code=fastapi.status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
             detail="Missing API key",
         )
-    return api_key_header
+    return api_key
+
+
+protocol_version_header = fastapi.Header(None, alias="X-Protocol-Version")
+
+
+def get_protocol_version(protocol_version: str = protocol_version_header) -> str:
+    if protocol_version != inference.INFERENCE_PROTOCOL_VERSION:
+        logger.warning(f"Got worker with incompatible protocol version: {protocol_version}")
+        raise fastapi.HTTPException(
+            status_code=fastapi.status.HTTP_426_UPGRADE_REQUIRED,
+            detail=f"Incompatible protocol version: {protocol_version}. Expected: {inference.INFERENCE_PROTOCOL_VERSION}.",
+        )
+    return protocol_version
 
 
 def get_worker(
     api_key: str = Depends(get_api_key),
+    protocol_version: str = Depends(get_protocol_version),
     session: sqlmodel.Session = Depends(create_session),
 ) -> models.DbWorkerEntry:
+    logger.info(f"get_worker: {api_key=}, {protocol_version=}")
     worker = session.exec(
         sqlmodel.select(models.DbWorkerEntry).where(models.DbWorkerEntry.api_key == api_key)
     ).one_or_none()
@@ -171,7 +191,7 @@ async def create_chat(
     request: interface.CreateChatRequest, chat_repository: ChatRepository = Depends(create_chat_repository)
 ) -> interface.ChatListEntry:
     """Allows a client to create a new chat."""
-    logger.info(f"Received {request}")
+    logger.info(f"Received {request=}")
     chat = chat_repository.create_chat()
     return chat.to_list_entry()
 
@@ -243,8 +263,7 @@ async def event_generator(chat_id):
 async def work(websocket: fastapi.WebSocket, worker: models.DbWorkerEntry = Depends(get_worker)):
     await websocket.accept()
     worker_config = inference.WorkerConfig.parse_raw(await websocket.receive_text())
-    queue_id = f"work:{worker_config.compat_hash}"
-    work_queue = queueing.RedisQueue(redis_client, queue_id)
+    work_queue = queueing.work_queue(redis_client, worker_config.compat_hash)
     try:
         while True:
             if websocket.client_state == fastapi.websockets.WebSocketState.DISCONNECTED:
diff --git a/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/interface.py b/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/interface.py
index 55c24a3dbb..9349a9be48 100644
--- a/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/interface.py
+++ b/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/interface.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class MessageRequest(pydantic.BaseModel):
 
     @property
     def worker_compat_hash(self) -> str:
-        return f"{self.model_name}"
+        return inference.compat_hash(model_name=self.model_name)
 
 
 class TokenResponseEvent(pydantic.BaseModel):
diff --git a/inference/worker/__main__.py b/inference/worker/__main__.py
index 811c08050f..c46606a3ed 100644
--- a/inference/worker/__main__.py
+++ b/inference/worker/__main__.py
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 
 
 def main():
+    logger.info(f"Inference protocol version: {inference.INFERENCE_PROTOCOL_VERSION}")
+
     utils.wait_for_inference_server(settings.inference_server_url)
 
     def on_open(ws: websocket.WebSocket):
@@ -95,6 +97,10 @@ def _prepare_message(message: protocol.ConversationMessage) -> str:
     def on_error(ws: websocket.WebSocket, error: Exception):
         try:
             raise error
+        except websocket.WebSocketBadStatusException as e:
+            logger.error(f"Bad status: {e.status_code=} {str(e)=}")
+            logger.error("Did you provide the correct API key?")
+            logger.error("Try upgrading the worker to get the latest protocol version")
         except Exception:
             logger.exception("Error in websocket")
 
@@ -107,7 +113,10 @@ def on_close(ws: websocket.WebSocket, close_status_code: int, close_msg: str):
         on_error=on_error,
         on_close=on_close,
         on_open=on_open,
-        header={"X-API-Key": settings.api_key},
+        header={
+            "X-API-Key": settings.api_key,
+            "X-Protocol-Version": inference.INFERENCE_PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+        },
     )
 
     ws.run_forever(dispatcher=rel, reconnect=5)
diff --git a/oasst-shared/oasst_shared/schemas/inference.py b/oasst-shared/oasst_shared/schemas/inference.py
index f8a94fc1bd..d255a37350 100644
--- a/oasst-shared/oasst_shared/schemas/inference.py
+++ b/oasst-shared/oasst_shared/schemas/inference.py
@@ -5,13 +5,19 @@
 
 from . import protocol
 
+INFERENCE_PROTOCOL_VERSION = "1"
+
+
+def compat_hash(*, model_name: str) -> str:
+    return f"{model_name}"
+
 
 class WorkerConfig(pydantic.BaseModel):
     model_name: str = "distilgpt2"
 
     @property
     def compat_hash(self) -> str:
-        return f"{self.model_name}"
+        return compat_hash(model_name=self.model_name)
 
 
 class WorkRequest(pydantic.BaseModel):