diff --git a/db/client.cpp b/db/client.cpp
index 5208cf50d69..2cef211d6d7 100644
--- a/db/client.cpp
+++ b/db/client.cpp
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ namespace mongo {
 
         if ( _client->_curOp->getOp() != dbGetMore ){ // getMore's are special and should be handled else where
             string errmsg;
-            if ( ! shardVersionOk( _ns , errmsg ) ){
+            if ( ! shardVersionOk( _ns , lockState > 0 , errmsg ) ){
                 msgasserted( StaleConfigInContextCode , (string)"[" + _ns + "] shard version not ok in Client::Context: " + errmsg );
             }
         }
diff --git a/s/d_logic.cpp b/s/d_logic.cpp
index ddf83e84ef0..6840935c90b 100644
--- a/s/d_logic.cpp
+++ b/s/d_logic.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         DbMessage d(m);        
         const char *ns = d.getns();
         string errmsg;
-        if ( shardVersionOk( ns , errmsg ) ){
+        if ( shardVersionOk( ns , opIsWrite( op ) , errmsg ) ){
             return false;
         }
 
diff --git a/s/d_logic.h b/s/d_logic.h
index 0f7ba3507e5..a000f6ba830 100644
--- a/s/d_logic.h
+++ b/s/d_logic.h
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ namespace mongo {
     /**
      * @return true if the current threads shard version is ok, or not in sharded version
      */
-    bool shardVersionOk( const string& ns , string& errmsg );
+    bool shardVersionOk( const string& ns , bool write , string& errmsg );
 
     /**
      * @return true if we took care of the message and nothing else should be done
diff --git a/s/d_state.cpp b/s/d_state.cpp
index 16f46cdb9d2..d40d1618d15 100644
--- a/s/d_state.cpp
+++ b/s/d_state.cpp
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ namespace mongo {
      * @ return true if not in sharded mode
                      or if version for this client is ok
      */
-    bool shardVersionOk( const string& ns , string& errmsg ){
+    bool shardVersionOk( const string& ns , bool isWriteOp , string& errmsg ){
         if ( ! shardingState.enabled() )
             return true;