diff --git a/include/mbedtls/build_info.h b/include/mbedtls/build_info.h
index 6ccbc0095..1bb133dc7 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/build_info.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/build_info.h
@@ -49,7 +49,11 @@
 #define MBEDTLS_VERSION_STRING         "2.26.0"
 #define MBEDTLS_VERSION_STRING_FULL    "mbed TLS 2.26.0"
 
-#define MBEDTLS_CONFIG_VERSION_LATEST 1
+/**
+ * Equal to the #MBEDTLS_VERSION_NUMBER of the mbedtls version that introduced
+ * the most recent config version
+ */
+#define MBEDTLS_CONFIG_VERSION_LATEST  0x03000000
 
 #if defined(_MSC_VER) && !defined(_CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE)
 #define _CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE 1
diff --git a/include/mbedtls/mbedtls_config.h b/include/mbedtls/mbedtls_config.h
index af2c438e1..8aa88b0d6 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/mbedtls_config.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/mbedtls_config.h
@@ -24,7 +24,14 @@
  *  limitations under the License.
  */
 
-#define MBEDTLS_CONFIG_VERSION 1
+/**
+ * This is an optional version symbol that enables comatibility handling of
+ * config files.
+ *
+ * It is equal to the #MBEDTLS_VERSION_NUMBER of the mbedtls version that
+ * introduced the config format we want to be compatible with.
+ */
+#define MBEDTLS_CONFIG_VERSION 0x03000000
 
 /**
  * \name SECTION: System support