diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index 3183ba70..ba0095e0 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ static void COM_Wait_f(void);
 static void COM_Help_f(void);
 static void COM_Toggle_f(void);
 
+static void CV_EnforceExecVersion(void);
 static boolean CV_FilterVarByVersion(consvar_t *v, const char *valstr);
 static boolean CV_Command(void);
 static consvar_t *CV_FindVar(const char *name);
@@ -64,10 +65,11 @@ CV_PossibleValue_t CV_YesNo[] = {{0, "No"}, {1, "Yes"}, {0, NULL}};
 CV_PossibleValue_t CV_Unsigned[] = {{0, "MIN"}, {999999999, "MAX"}, {0, NULL}};
 CV_PossibleValue_t CV_Natural[] = {{1, "MIN"}, {999999999, "MAX"}, {0, NULL}};
 
-// Filter consvars by MODVERSION
+// Filter consvars by EXECVERSION
 // First implementation is 26 (2.1.21), so earlier configs default at 25 (2.1.20)
 // Also set CV_HIDEN during runtime, after config is loaded
-consvar_t cv_execversion = {"execversion","25",0,CV_Unsigned, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
+static boolean execversion_enabled = false;
+consvar_t cv_execversion = {"execversion","25",CV_CALL,CV_Unsigned, CV_EnforceExecVersion, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 // for default joyaxis detection
 static boolean joyaxis_default = false;
@@ -1598,10 +1600,21 @@ void CV_InitFilterVar(void)
 	joyaxis_count = joyaxis2_count = 0;
 }
 
+void CV_ToggleExecVersion(boolean enable)
+{
+	execversion_enabled = enable;
+}
+
+static void CV_EnforceExecVersion(void)
+{
+	if (!execversion_enabled)
+		CV_StealthSetValue(&cv_execversion, EXECVERSION);
+}
+
 static boolean CV_FilterJoyAxisVars(consvar_t *v, const char *valstr)
 {
 	// If ALL axis settings are previous defaults, set them to the new defaults
-	// MODVERSION < 26 (2.1.21)
+	// EXECVERSION < 26 (2.1.21)
 
 	if (joyaxis_default)
 	{
@@ -1749,8 +1762,7 @@ static boolean CV_FilterVarByVersion(consvar_t *v, const char *valstr)
 	if (!(v->flags & CV_SAVE))
 		return true;
 
-	// We go by MODVERSION here
-	if (cv_execversion.value < 26) // 26 = 2.1.21
+	if (GETMAJOREXECVERSION(cv_execversion.value) < 26) // 26 = 2.1.21
 	{
 		// MOUSE SETTINGS
 		// alwaysfreelook split between first and third person (chasefreelook)
diff --git a/src/command.h b/src/command.h
index 8dee1174..e6767825 100644
--- a/src/command.h
+++ b/src/command.h
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ extern CV_PossibleValue_t CV_Natural[];
 extern consvar_t cv_execversion;
 
 void CV_InitFilterVar(void);
+void CV_ToggleExecVersion(boolean enable);
 
 // register a variable for use at the console
 void CV_RegisterVar(consvar_t *variable);
diff --git a/src/doomdef.h b/src/doomdef.h
index a65d7d48..1cbe97f2 100644
--- a/src/doomdef.h
+++ b/src/doomdef.h
@@ -216,6 +216,20 @@ extern FILE *logstream;
 // Note that we use this to help keep internal testing in check; this is why v2.1.0 is not version "1".
 #define MODVERSION 27
 
+// To version config.cfg, MAJOREXECVERSION is set equal to MODVERSION automatically.
+// Increment MINOREXECVERSION whenever a config change is needed that does not correspond
+// to an increment in MODVERSION. This might never happen in practice.
+// If MODVERSION increases, set MINOREXECVERSION to 0.
+#define MAJOREXECVERSION MODVERSION
+#define MINOREXECVERSION 0
+// (It would have been nice to use VERSION and SUBVERSION but those are zero'd out for DEVELOP builds)
+
+// Macros
+#define GETMAJOREXECVERSION(v) (v & 0xFFFF)
+#define GETMINOREXECVERSION(v) (v >> 16)
+#define GETEXECVERSION(major,minor) (major + (minor << 16))
+#define EXECVERSION GETEXECVERSION(MAJOREXECVERSION, MINOREXECVERSION)
+
 // =========================================================================
 
 // The maximum number of players, multiplayer/networking.
diff --git a/src/m_misc.c b/src/m_misc.c
index a4f53c71..66d2c390 100644
--- a/src/m_misc.c
+++ b/src/m_misc.c
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ void Command_LoadConfig_f(void)
 	FIL_ForceExtension(configfile, ".cfg");
 
 	// temporarily reset execversion to default
-	cv_execversion.flags &= ~CV_HIDEN;
+	CV_ToggleExecVersion(true);
 	COM_BufInsertText(va("%s \"%s\"\n", cv_execversion.name, cv_execversion.defaultvalue));
 	CV_InitFilterVar();
 
@@ -451,8 +451,8 @@ void Command_LoadConfig_f(void)
 	COM_BufInsertText(va("exec \"%s\"\n", configfile));
 
 	// don't filter anymore vars and don't let this convsvar be changed
-	COM_BufInsertText(va("%s \"%d\"\n", cv_execversion.name, MODVERSION));
-	cv_execversion.flags |= CV_HIDEN;
+	COM_BufInsertText(va("%s \"%d\"\n", cv_execversion.name, EXECVERSION));
+	CV_ToggleExecVersion(false);
 }
 
 /** Saves the current configuration and loads another.
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ void M_FirstLoadConfig(void)
 
 	// temporarily reset execversion to default
 	// we shouldn't need to do this, but JUST in case...
-	cv_execversion.flags &= ~CV_HIDEN;
+	CV_ToggleExecVersion(true);
 	COM_BufInsertText(va("%s \"%s\"\n", cv_execversion.name, cv_execversion.defaultvalue));
 	CV_InitFilterVar();
 
@@ -503,8 +503,8 @@ void M_FirstLoadConfig(void)
 	// no COM_BufExecute() needed; that does it right away
 
 	// don't filter anymore vars and don't let this convsvar be changed
-	COM_BufInsertText(va("%s \"%d\"\n", cv_execversion.name, MODVERSION));
-	cv_execversion.flags |= CV_HIDEN;
+	COM_BufInsertText(va("%s \"%d\"\n", cv_execversion.name, EXECVERSION));
+	CV_ToggleExecVersion(false);
 
 	// make sure I_Quit() will write back the correct config
 	// (do not write back the config if it crash before)
@@ -570,8 +570,8 @@ void M_SaveConfig(const char *filename)
 	fprintf(f, "// SRB2 configuration file.\n");
 
 	// print execversion FIRST, because subsequent consvars need to be filtered
-	// always print current MODVERSION
-	fprintf(f, "%s \"%d\"\n", cv_execversion.name, MODVERSION);
+	// always print current EXECVERSION
+	fprintf(f, "%s \"%d\"\n", cv_execversion.name, EXECVERSION);
 
 	// FIXME: save key aliases if ever implemented..