diff --git a/repos/os/include/init/child.h b/repos/os/include/init/child.h
index 418b0e415f..ad21b4a396 100644
--- a/repos/os/include/init/child.h
+++ b/repos/os/include/init/child.h
@@ -424,6 +424,12 @@ class Init::Child : Child_policy, Child_service::Wakeup
 
 		Reconstructible<Buffered_xml> _start_node;
 
+		/*
+		 * Version attribute of the start node, used to force child restarts.
+		 */
+		typedef String<80> Version;
+		Version _version { _start_node->xml().attribute_value("version", Version()) };
+
 		Default_route_accessor &_default_route_accessor;
 
 		Ram_limit_accessor &_ram_limit_accessor;
@@ -816,6 +822,15 @@ class Init::Child : Child_policy, Child_service::Wakeup
 			    Genode::memcmp(start_node.addr(), _start_node->xml().addr(),
 			                   start_node.size()) != 0)
 			{
+				/*
+				 * Check for a change of the version attribute, force restart
+				 * if the version changed.
+				 */
+				if (_version != start_node.attribute_value("version", Version())) {
+					abandon();
+					return MAY_HAVE_SIDE_EFFECTS;
+				}
+
 				/*
 				 * Start node changed
 				 *
@@ -887,6 +902,9 @@ class Init::Child : Child_policy, Child_service::Wakeup
 				xml.attribute("name",   _unique_name);
 				xml.attribute("binary", _binary_name);
 
+				if (_version.valid())
+					xml.attribute("version", _version);
+
 				if (detail.ids())
 					xml.attribute("id", _id.value);
 
diff --git a/repos/os/run/init.run b/repos/os/run/init.run
index 5a8d2b93d5..0768b06cc3 100644
--- a/repos/os/run/init.run
+++ b/repos/os/run/init.run
@@ -203,7 +203,6 @@ append config {
 			<message string="update child config"/>
 
 			<init_config>
-				<report ids="yes"/>
 				<parent-provides>
 					<service name="ROM"/> <service name="RAM"/>
 					<service name="CPU"/> <service name="PD"/>
@@ -218,7 +217,6 @@ append config {
 			</init_config>
 			<expect_log string="[init -> application] config 1: Version A"/>
 			<init_config>
-				<report ids="yes"/>
 				<parent-provides>
 					<service name="ROM"/> <service name="RAM"/>
 					<service name="CPU"/> <service name="PD"/>
@@ -232,6 +230,31 @@ append config {
 				</start>
 			</init_config>
 			<expect_log string="[init -> application] config 2: Version B"/>
+
+			<!-- Add 'version' attribute to start node, which should trigger
+			     the restart of the child, printing a version count of 1.
+			     We also validate that the version is reflected in the state
+			     report. -->
+
+			<init_config>
+				<report/>
+				<parent-provides>
+					<service name="ROM"/> <service name="RAM"/>
+					<service name="CPU"/> <service name="PD"/>
+					<service name="LOG"/>
+				</parent-provides>
+				<start name="application" version="X">
+					<binary name="dummy"/>
+					<resource name="RAM" quantum="1M"/>
+					<config version="Version B"/>
+					<route> <any-service> <parent/> </any-service> </route>
+				</start>
+			</init_config>
+			<expect_log string="[init -> application] config 1: Version B"/>
+			<sleep ms="150"/>
+			<expect_init_state>
+				<node name="child"> <attribute name="version" value="X"/> </node>
+			</expect_init_state>
 			<sleep ms="100"/>
 
 
@@ -261,6 +284,7 @@ append config {
 			     config version (count 2). -->
 
 			<init_config>
+				<report/>
 				<parent-provides>
 					<service name="ROM"/> <service name="RAM"/>
 					<service name="CPU"/> <service name="PD"/>
@@ -302,7 +326,6 @@ append config {
 				</start>
 			</init_config>
 			<expect_log string="[init -> test] config 1: binary re-routed to other route"/>
-			<sleep ms="100"/>
 
 
 			<message string="test RAM preservation"/>