diff --git a/src/mux/muxedit.c b/src/mux/muxedit.c
index 8499d0b4..98d9dc71 100644
--- a/src/mux/muxedit.c
+++ b/src/mux/muxedit.c
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ static void MuxInit(WebPMux* const mux) {
   mux->state_ = WEBP_MUX_STATE_PARTIAL;
 }
 
-WebPMux* WebPMuxNew(void) {
-  WebPMux* const mux = (WebPMux*)malloc(sizeof(WebPMux));
+WebPMux* WebPNewInternal(int version) {
+  WebPMux* const mux = (version == WEBP_MUX_ABI_VERSION) ?
+                       (WebPMux*)malloc(sizeof(WebPMux)) : NULL;
   if (mux) MuxInit(mux);
   return mux;
 }
diff --git a/src/mux/muxread.c b/src/mux/muxread.c
index b74f7dc4..3c969ce4 100644
--- a/src/mux/muxread.c
+++ b/src/mux/muxread.c
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ static WebPMuxError ChunkAssignData(WebPChunk* chunk, const uint8_t* data,
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Create a mux object from WebP-RIFF data.
 
-WebPMux* WebPMuxCreate(const uint8_t* data, size_t size, int copy_data,
-                       WebPMuxState* const mux_state) {
+WebPMux* WebPMuxCreateInternal(const uint8_t* data, size_t size, int copy_data,
+                               WebPMuxState* const mux_state, int version) {
   size_t riff_size;
   uint32_t tag;
   const uint8_t* end;
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ WebPMux* WebPMuxCreate(const uint8_t* data, size_t size, int copy_data,
   if (mux_state) *mux_state = WEBP_MUX_STATE_PARTIAL;
 
   // Sanity checks.
+  if (version != WEBP_MUX_ABI_VERSION) goto Err;  // version mismatch
   if (data == NULL) goto Err;
   if (size < RIFF_HEADER_SIZE) return NULL;
   if (GetLE32(data + 0) != mktag('R', 'I', 'F', 'F') ||
diff --git a/src/webp/mux.h b/src/webp/mux.h
index 5f5cd0f6..76aa70e1 100644
--- a/src/webp/mux.h
+++ b/src/webp/mux.h
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+#define WEBP_MUX_ABI_VERSION 0x0000
+
 // Error codes
 typedef enum {
   WEBP_MUX_OK                 =  1,
@@ -90,10 +92,15 @@ typedef struct {
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Life of a Mux object
 
+// Internal, version-checked, entry point
+WEBP_EXTERN(WebPMux*) WebPNewInternal(int);
+
 // Creates an empty mux object.
 // Returns:
 //   A pointer to the newly created empty mux object.
-WEBP_EXTERN(WebPMux*) WebPMuxNew(void);
+static WEBP_INLINE WebPMux* WebPMuxNew(void) {
+  return WebPNewInternal(WEBP_MUX_ABI_VERSION);
+}
 
 // Deletes the mux object.
 // Parameters:
@@ -103,6 +110,10 @@ WEBP_EXTERN(void) WebPMuxDelete(WebPMux* const mux);
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Mux creation.
 
+// Internal, version-checked, entry point
+WEBP_EXTERN(WebPMux*) WebPMuxCreateInternal(const uint8_t*, size_t,
+                                            int, WebPMuxState* const, int);
+
 // Creates a mux object from raw data given in WebP RIFF format.
 // Parameters:
 //   data - (in) the raw data in WebP RIFF format
@@ -114,9 +125,12 @@ WEBP_EXTERN(void) WebPMuxDelete(WebPMux* const mux);
 // Returns:
 //   A pointer to the mux object created from given data - on success.
 //   NULL - In case of invalid data or memory error.
-WEBP_EXTERN(WebPMux*) WebPMuxCreate(const uint8_t* data, size_t size,
-                                    int copy_data,
-                                    WebPMuxState* const mux_state);
+static WEBP_INLINE WebPMux* WebPMuxCreate(const uint8_t* data, size_t size,
+                                          int copy_data,
+                                          WebPMuxState* const mux_state) {
+  return WebPMuxCreateInternal(
+      data, size, copy_data, mux_state, WEBP_MUX_ABI_VERSION);
+}
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Single Image.