diff --git a/api/src/opentrons/api/session.py b/api/src/opentrons/api/session.py
index 490f90717ff..bc3c6ea9f49 100755
--- a/api/src/opentrons/api/session.py
+++ b/api/src/opentrons/api/session.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from opentrons.commands import tree, types as command_types
 from opentrons.commands.commands import is_new_loc, listify
 from opentrons.config import feature_flags as ff
-from opentrons.protocols.types import JsonProtocol, PythonProtocol
+from opentrons.protocols.types import JsonProtocol, PythonProtocol, APIVersion
 from opentrons.protocols.parse import parse
 from opentrons.types import Location, Point
 from opentrons.protocol_api import (ProtocolContext,
@@ -277,12 +277,12 @@ def on_command(message):
 
     def refresh(self):
         self._reset()
-        self.api_level = 2 if ff.use_protocol_api_v2() else 1
         # self.metadata is exposed via jrpc
         if isinstance(self._protocol, PythonProtocol):
+            self.api_level = self._protocol.api_level
             self.metadata = self._protocol.metadata
             if ff.use_protocol_api_v2()\
-               and self._protocol.api_level == '1'\
+               and self._protocol.api_level == APIVersion(1, 0)\
                and not ff.enable_back_compat():
                 raise RuntimeError(
                     'This protocol targets Protocol API V1, but the robot is '
@@ -294,6 +294,10 @@ def refresh(self):
 
             log.info(f"Protocol API version: {self._protocol.api_level}")
         else:
+            if ff.use_protocol_api_v2():
+                self.api_level = APIVersion(2, 0)
+            else:
+                self.api_level = APIVersion(1, 0)
             self.metadata = {}
             log.info(f"JSON protocol")
 
diff --git a/api/src/opentrons/execute.py b/api/src/opentrons/execute.py
index 0682613525a..db5e8422e01 100644
--- a/api/src/opentrons/execute.py
+++ b/api/src/opentrons/execute.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 from opentrons import commands
 from opentrons.config import feature_flags as ff
 from opentrons.protocols.parse import parse
-from opentrons.protocols.types import JsonProtocol
+from opentrons.protocols.types import JsonProtocol, APIVersion
 from opentrons.hardware_control import API
 
 _HWCONTROL: Optional[API] = None
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ def execute(protocol_file: TextIO,
     contents = protocol_file.read()
     protocol = parse(contents, protocol_file.name)
     if isinstance(protocol, JsonProtocol)\
-            or protocol.api_level == '2'\
+            or protocol.api_level >= APIVersion(2, 0)\
             or (ff.enable_back_compat() and ff.use_protocol_api_v2()):
         context = get_protocol_api(
             bundled_labware=getattr(protocol, 'bundled_labware', None),
diff --git a/api/src/opentrons/protocol_api/execute.py b/api/src/opentrons/protocol_api/execute.py
index 6ee76df42b6..0ee9bf3e591 100644
--- a/api/src/opentrons/protocol_api/execute.py
+++ b/api/src/opentrons/protocol_api/execute.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from . import execute_v3, legacy_wrapper
 
 from opentrons import config
-from opentrons.protocols.types import PythonProtocol, Protocol
+from opentrons.protocols.types import PythonProtocol, Protocol, APIVersion
 
 MODULE_LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -169,9 +169,9 @@ def run_protocol(protocol: Protocol,
         raise RuntimeError(
             'Will not automatically generate hardware controller')
     if isinstance(protocol, PythonProtocol):
-        if protocol.api_level == '2':
+        if protocol.api_level >= APIVersion(2, 0):
             _run_python(protocol, true_context)
-        elif protocol.api_level == '1':
+        elif protocol.api_level == APIVersion(1, 0):
             _run_python_legacy(protocol, true_context)
         else:
             raise RuntimeError(
diff --git a/api/src/opentrons/protocols/parse.py b/api/src/opentrons/protocols/parse.py
index 14cc6dc98db..608e9b3b02f 100644
--- a/api/src/opentrons/protocols/parse.py
+++ b/api/src/opentrons/protocols/parse.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import itertools
 import json
 import pkgutil
+import re
 from io import BytesIO
 from zipfile import ZipFile
 from typing import Any, Dict, Union
@@ -13,9 +14,12 @@
 import jsonschema  # type: ignore
 
 from opentrons.config import feature_flags as ff
-from .types import Protocol, PythonProtocol, JsonProtocol, Metadata
+from .types import Protocol, PythonProtocol, JsonProtocol, Metadata, APIVersion
 from .bundle import extract_bundle
 
+# match e.g. "2.0" but not "hi", "2", "2.0.1"
+API_VERSION_RE = re.compile(r'^(\d+)\.(\d+)$')
+
 
 def _parse_json(
         protocol_contents: str, filename: str = None) -> JsonProtocol:
@@ -46,7 +50,7 @@ def _parse_python(
                        filename=ast_filename)
     metadata = extract_metadata(parsed)
     protocol = compile(parsed, filename=ast_filename, mode='exec')
-    version = infer_version(metadata, parsed)
+    version = get_version(metadata, parsed)
 
     result = PythonProtocol(
         text=protocol_contents,
@@ -78,7 +82,7 @@ def _parse_bundle(bundle: ZipFile, filename: str = None) -> PythonProtocol:  # n
         contents.bundled_data,
         contents.bundled_python)
 
-    if result.api_level != '2':
+    if result.api_level < APIVersion(2, 0):
         raise RuntimeError('Bundled protocols must use Protocol API V2, ' +
                            f'got {result.api_level}')
 
@@ -155,7 +159,7 @@ def extract_metadata(parsed: ast.Module) -> Metadata:
     return metadata
 
 
-def infer_version_from_imports(parsed: ast.Module) -> str:
+def infer_version_from_imports(parsed: ast.Module) -> APIVersion:
     # Imports in the form of `import opentrons.robot` will have an entry in
     # parsed.body[i].names[j].name in the form "opentrons.robot". Find those
     # imports and transform them to strip away the 'opentrons.' part.
@@ -182,12 +186,31 @@ def infer_version_from_imports(parsed: ast.Module) -> str:
     v1_markers = set(('robot', 'instruments', 'modules', 'containers'))
     v1evidence = v1_markers.intersection(opentrons_imports)
     if v1evidence:
-        return '1'
+        return APIVersion(1, 0)
     else:
-        return '2'
+        raise RuntimeError('Cannot infer API level')
+
 
+def version_from_metadata(metadata: Metadata) -> APIVersion:
+    """ Build an API version from metadata, if we can.
 
-def infer_version(metadata: Metadata, parsed: ast.Module) -> str:
+    If there is no apiLevel key, raise a KeyError.
+    If the apiLevel value is malformed, raise a ValueError.
+    """
+    if 'apiLevel' not in metadata:
+        raise KeyError('apiLevel')
+    requested_level = str(metadata['apiLevel'])
+    if requested_level == '1':
+        return APIVersion(1, 0)
+    matches = API_VERSION_RE.match(requested_level)
+    if not matches:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f'apiLevel {requested_level} is incorrectly formatted. It should '
+            'major.minor, where both major and minor are numbers.')
+    return APIVersion(major=int(matches.group(1)), minor=int(matches.group(2)))
+
+
+def get_version(metadata: Metadata, parsed: ast.Module) -> APIVersion:
     """
     Infer protocol API version based on a combination of metadata and imports.
 
@@ -203,10 +226,17 @@ def infer_version(metadata: Metadata, parsed: ast.Module) -> str:
     APIv2 protocol (note that 'labware' is not in this list, as there is a
     valid APIv2 import named 'labware').
     """
-    level = str(metadata.get('apiLevel'))
-    if level in ('1', '2'):
-        return level
-    return infer_version_from_imports(parsed)
+    try:
+        return version_from_metadata(metadata)
+    except KeyError:  # No apiLevel key, may be apiv1
+        pass
+    try:
+        return infer_version_from_imports(parsed)
+    except RuntimeError:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            'If this is not an API v1 protocol, you must specify the target '
+            'api level in the apiLevel key of the metadata. For instance, '
+            'metadata={"apiLevel": "2.0"}')
 
 
 def _get_protocol_schema_version(protocol_json: Dict[Any, Any]) -> int:
diff --git a/api/src/opentrons/protocols/types.py b/api/src/opentrons/protocols/types.py
index a0ebb6ed84d..4ac56b6fe31 100644
--- a/api/src/opentrons/protocols/types.py
+++ b/api/src/opentrons/protocols/types.py
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 Metadata = Dict[str, Union[str, int]]
 
 
+class APIVersion(NamedTuple):
+    major: int
+    minor: int
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return f'{self.major}.{self.minor}'
+
+
 class JsonProtocol(NamedTuple):
     text: str
     filename: Optional[str]
@@ -15,7 +23,7 @@ class PythonProtocol(NamedTuple):
     filename: Optional[str]
     contents: Any  # This is the output of compile() which we can't type
     metadata: Metadata
-    api_level: str  # For now, should be '1' or '2'
+    api_level: APIVersion
     # these 'bundled_' attrs should only be included when the protocol is a zip
     bundled_labware: Optional[Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]]]
     bundled_data: Optional[Dict[str, bytes]]
diff --git a/api/src/opentrons/simulate.py b/api/src/opentrons/simulate.py
index 6016c86ceab..23d7a259496 100644
--- a/api/src/opentrons/simulate.py
+++ b/api/src/opentrons/simulate.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 from opentrons import protocol_api
 from opentrons.protocols import parse, bundle
 from opentrons.protocols.types import (
-    JsonProtocol, PythonProtocol, BundleContents)
+    JsonProtocol, PythonProtocol, BundleContents, APIVersion)
 from opentrons.protocol_api import execute
 from .util.entrypoint_util import labware_from_paths, datafiles_from_paths
 
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def simulate(protocol_file: TextIO,
                            extra_data=extra_data)
 
     if isinstance(protocol, JsonProtocol)\
-            or protocol.api_level == '2'\
+            or protocol.api_level >= APIVersion(2, 0)\
             or (ff.enable_back_compat() and ff.use_protocol_api_v2()):
         context = get_protocol_api(protocol)
         scraper = CommandScraper(stack_logger, log_level, context.broker)
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/api/test_session.py b/api/tests/opentrons/api/test_session.py
index 70d9c5d5181..f6dcadf2a57 100755
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/api/test_session.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/api/test_session.py
@@ -88,9 +88,22 @@ async def test_async_notifications(main_router):
     assert res == {'name': 'foo', 'payload': {'bar': 'baz'}}
 
 
-def test_load_protocol_with_error(session_manager):
+@pytest.mark.api2_only
+def test_load_protocol_with_error_v2(session_manager, hardware):
+    with pytest.raises(Exception) as e:
+        session = session_manager.create(
+            name='<blank>', contents='metadata={"apiLevel": "2.0"}; blah')
+        assert session is None
+
+    args, = e.value.args
+    assert args == "name 'blah' is not defined"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.api1_only
+def test_load_protocol_with_error_v1(session_manager, hardware):
     with pytest.raises(Exception) as e:
-        session = session_manager.create(name='<blank>', contents='blah')
+        session = session_manager.create(
+            name='<blank>', contents='metadata={"apiLevel": "1.0"}; blah')
         assert session is None
 
     args, = e.value.args
@@ -231,7 +244,8 @@ async def test_get_instruments_and_containers(labware_setup,
     instruments, containers, modules, interactions = \
         _accumulate([_get_labware(command) for command in commands])
 
-    session = session_manager.create(name='', contents='')
+    session = session_manager.create(
+        name='', contents='from opentrons import instruments')
     # We are calling dedupe directly for testing purposes.
     # Normally it is called from within a session
     session._instruments.extend(_dedupe(instruments))
@@ -357,7 +371,7 @@ async def test_session_create_error(main_router):
     with pytest.raises(SyntaxError):
         main_router.session_manager.create(
             name='<blank>',
-            contents='syntax error ;(')
+            contents='from opentrons import instruments; syntax error ;(')
 
     with pytest.raises(TimeoutError):
         # No state change is expected
@@ -366,20 +380,22 @@ async def test_session_create_error(main_router):
     with pytest.raises(ZeroDivisionError):
         main_router.session_manager.create(
             name='<blank>',
-            contents='1/0')
+            contents='from opentrons import instruments; 1/0')
 
     with pytest.raises(TimeoutError):
         # No state change is expected
         await main_router.wait_until(lambda _: True)
 
 
-async def test_session_metadata(main_router):
+@pytest.mark.api1_only
+async def test_session_metadata_v1(main_router):
     expected = {
         'hello': 'world',
         'what?': 'no'
     }
 
     prot = """
+from opentrons import instruments
 this = 0
 that = 1
 metadata = {
@@ -387,6 +403,31 @@ async def test_session_metadata(main_router):
 'hello': 'world'
 }
 print('wat?')
+"""
+
+    session = main_router.session_manager.create(
+        name='<blank>',
+        contents=prot)
+    assert session.metadata == expected
+
+
+@pytest.mark.api2_only
+async def test_session_metadata_v2(main_router):
+    expected = {
+        'hello': 'world',
+        'what?': 'no',
+        'apiLevel': '2.0'
+    }
+
+    prot = """
+this = 0
+that = 1
+metadata = {
+'what?': 'no',
+'hello': 'world',
+'apiLevel': '2.0'
+}
+print('wat?')
 
 def run(ctx):
     print('hi there')
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/conftest.py b/api/tests/opentrons/conftest.py
index 4d7d7b3cd01..2f93f9d3799 100755
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/conftest.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/conftest.py
@@ -646,7 +646,8 @@ def _get_bundle_protocol_fixture(fixture_name):
             result['bundled_python'] = {}
 
             # NOTE: this is copy-pasted from the .py fixture file
-            result['metadata'] = {'author': 'MISTER FIXTURE'}
+            result['metadata'] = {'author': 'MISTER FIXTURE',
+                                  'apiLevel': '2.0'}
 
             # make binary zipfile
             binary_zipfile = io.BytesIO()
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/data/testosaur-gen2-v2.py b/api/tests/opentrons/data/testosaur-gen2-v2.py
index 8faa616a826..50654a20813 100644
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/data/testosaur-gen2-v2.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/data/testosaur-gen2-v2.py
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
     'protocolName': 'Testosaur',
     'author': 'Opentrons <engineering@opentrons.com>',
     'description': 'A variant on "Dinosaur" for testing',
-    'source': 'Opentrons Repository'
+    'source': 'Opentrons Repository',
+    'apiLevel': '2.0'
 }
 
 
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/data/testosaur_v2.py b/api/tests/opentrons/data/testosaur_v2.py
index b404d038cdc..dbe06d79b45 100644
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/data/testosaur_v2.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/data/testosaur_v2.py
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
     'protocolName': 'Testosaur',
     'author': 'Opentrons <engineering@opentrons.com>',
     'description': 'A variant on "Dinosaur" for testing',
-    'source': 'Opentrons Repository'
+    'source': 'Opentrons Repository',
+    'apiLevel': '2.0',
 }
 
 
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/protocol_api/test_execute.py b/api/tests/opentrons/protocol_api/test_execute.py
index d4253247a04..c7fff521e81 100644
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/protocol_api/test_execute.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/protocol_api/test_execute.py
@@ -6,11 +6,14 @@
     ("""from opentrons import labware, instruments, robot"""),
     ("""
 metadata = {
-    "apiLevel": '1'
+    "apiLevel": '1.0'
 }
 import opentrons
 opentrons.robot
-    """)]
+    """),
+    ("""
+metadata = {"apiLevel": '1'}
+""")]
 
 
 def test_api2_runfunc():
@@ -57,17 +60,28 @@ def test_execute_v1_imports(protocol, ensure_api2):
 
 def test_bad_protocol(ensure_api2, loop):
     ctx = ProtocolContext(loop)
-    no_run = parse('print("hi")')
+    no_run = parse('''
+metadata={"apiLevel": "2.0"}
+print("hi")
+''')
     with pytest.raises(execute.MalformedProtocolError) as e:
         execute.run_protocol(no_run, context=ctx)
         assert "No function 'run" in str(e.value)
 
-    no_args = parse('def run(): pass')
+    no_args = parse('''
+metadata={"apiLevel": "2.0"}
+def run():
+    pass
+''')
     with pytest.raises(execute.MalformedProtocolError) as e:
         execute.run_protocol(no_args, context=ctx)
         assert "Function 'run()' does not take any parameters" in str(e.value)
 
-    many_args = parse('def run(a, b): pass')
+    many_args = parse('''
+metadata={"apiLevel": "2.0"}
+def run(a, b):
+    pass
+''')
     with pytest.raises(execute.MalformedProtocolError) as e:
         execute.run_protocol(many_args, context=ctx)
         assert "must be called with more than one argument" in str(e.value)
@@ -75,7 +89,8 @@ def test_bad_protocol(ensure_api2, loop):
 
 def test_proto_with_exception(ensure_api2, loop):
     ctx = ProtocolContext(loop)
-    exc_in_root = '''
+    exc_in_root = '''metadata={"apiLevel": "2.0"}
+
 def run(ctx):
     raise Exception("hi")
 '''
@@ -84,7 +99,7 @@ def run(ctx):
         execute.run_protocol(
             protocol,
             context=ctx)
-    assert 'Exception [line 3]: hi' in str(e.value)
+    assert 'Exception [line 4]: hi' in str(e.value)
 
     nested_exc = '''
 import ast
@@ -94,6 +109,8 @@ def this_throws():
 
 def run(ctx):
     this_throws()
+
+metadata={"apiLevel": "2.0"};
 '''
     protocol = parse(nested_exc)
     with pytest.raises(execute.ExceptionInProtocolError) as e:
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/fixtures/bundled_protocols/simple_bundle/protocol.py b/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/fixtures/bundled_protocols/simple_bundle/protocol.py
index 6a1238db2cc..d1fe6ded84c 100755
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/fixtures/bundled_protocols/simple_bundle/protocol.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/fixtures/bundled_protocols/simple_bundle/protocol.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-metadata = {'author': 'MISTER FIXTURE'}
+metadata = {'author': 'MISTER FIXTURE',
+            'apiLevel': '2.0'}
 
 
 def run(protocol_context):
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/test_parse.py b/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/test_parse.py
index 1acb7955c93..401bf055590 100644
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/test_parse.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/test_parse.py
@@ -7,8 +7,11 @@
 from opentrons.protocols.parse import (extract_metadata,
                                        _get_protocol_schema_version,
                                        validate_json,
-                                       parse)
-from opentrons.protocols.types import (JsonProtocol, PythonProtocol)
+                                       parse,
+                                       version_from_metadata)
+from opentrons.protocols.types import (JsonProtocol,
+                                       PythonProtocol,
+                                       APIVersion)
 
 
 def test_extract_metadata():
@@ -43,17 +46,17 @@ def test_extract_metadata():
 from opentrons import instruments
 
 p = instruments.P10_Single(mount='right')
-""", '1'),
+""", APIVersion(1, 0)),
     ("""
 import opentrons.instruments
 
 p = instruments.P10_Single(mount='right')
-""", '1'),
+""", APIVersion(1, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import instruments as instr
 
 p = instr.P10_Single(mount='right')
-""", '1'),
+""", APIVersion(1, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import instruments
 
@@ -62,22 +65,26 @@ def test_extract_metadata():
   }
 
 p = instruments.P10_Single(mount='right')
-""", '1'),
+""", APIVersion(1, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import instruments
 
 metadata = {
-  'apiLevel': '2'
+  'apiLevel': '2.0'
   }
 
 p = instruments.P10_Single(mount='right')
-""", '2'),
+""", APIVersion(2, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import types
 
+metadata = {
+    'apiLevel': '2.0'
+}
+
 def run(ctx):
     right = ctx.load_instrument('p300_single', types.Mount.RIGHT)
-""", '2'),
+""", APIVersion(2, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import types
 
@@ -87,44 +94,74 @@ def run(ctx):
 
 def run(ctx):
     right = ctx.load_instrument('p300_single', types.Mount.RIGHT)
-""", '1'),
+""", APIVersion(1, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import types
 
 metadata = {
-  'apiLevel': '2'
+  'apiLevel': '2.0'
   }
 
 def run(ctx):
     right = ctx.load_instrument('p300_single', types.Mount.RIGHT)
-""", '2'),
+""", APIVersion(2, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import labware, instruments
 
 p = instruments.P10_Single(mount='right')
-    """, '1'),
+    """, APIVersion(1, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import types, containers
-    """, '1'),
+    """, APIVersion(1, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import types, instruments
 
 p = instruments.P10_Single(mount='right')
-    """, '1'),
+    """, APIVersion(1, 0)),
     ("""
 from opentrons import instruments as instr
 
 p = instr.P300_Single('right')
-    """, '1')
+    """, APIVersion(1, 0))
 ]
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('proto,version', infer_version_cases)
-def test_infer_version(proto, version):
+def test_get_version(proto, version):
     parsed = parse(proto)
     assert parsed.api_level == version
 
 
+test_valid_metadata = [
+    ({'apiLevel': '1'}, APIVersion(1, 0)),
+    ({'apiLevel': '1.0'}, APIVersion(1, 0)),
+    ({'apiLevel': '1.2'}, APIVersion(1, 2)),
+    ({'apiLevel': '2.0'}, APIVersion(2, 0)),
+    ({'apiLevel': '2.6'}, APIVersion(2, 6)),
+    ({'apiLevel': '10.23123151'}, APIVersion(10, 23123151))
+]
+
+
+test_invalid_metadata = [
+    ({}, KeyError),
+    ({'sasdaf': 'asdaf'}, KeyError),
+    ({'apiLevel': '2'}, ValueError),
+    ({'apiLevel': '2.0.0'}, ValueError),
+    ({'apiLevel': 'asda'}, ValueError)
+]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('metadata,version', test_valid_metadata)
+def test_valid_version_from_metadata(metadata, version):
+    assert version_from_metadata(metadata) == version
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('metadata,exc', test_invalid_metadata)
+def test_invalid_version_from_metadata(metadata, exc):
+    with pytest.raises(exc):
+        version_from_metadata(metadata)
+
+
 def test_get_protocol_schema_version():
     assert _get_protocol_schema_version({'protocol-schema': '1.0.0'}) == 1
     assert _get_protocol_schema_version({'protocol-schema': '2.0.0'}) == 2
@@ -171,16 +208,25 @@ def test_parse_python_details(
     assert isinstance(parsed, PythonProtocol)
     assert parsed.text == protocol.text
     assert isinstance(parsed.text, str)
-    version = '2' if '2' in protocol.filename else '1'
-    assert parsed.api_level == version
     fname = fake_fname if fake_fname else '<protocol>'
     assert parsed.filename == fname
-    assert parsed.metadata == {
-        'protocolName': 'Testosaur',
-        'author': 'Opentrons <engineering@opentrons.com>',
-        'description': 'A variant on "Dinosaur" for testing',
-        'source': 'Opentrons Repository'
-    }
+    if '2' in protocol.filename:
+        assert parsed.api_level == APIVersion(2, 0)
+        assert parsed.metadata == {
+            'protocolName': 'Testosaur',
+            'author': 'Opentrons <engineering@opentrons.com>',
+            'description': 'A variant on "Dinosaur" for testing',
+            'source': 'Opentrons Repository',
+            'apiLevel': '2.0'
+        }
+    else:
+        assert parsed.api_level == APIVersion(1, 0)
+        assert parsed.metadata == {
+            'protocolName': 'Testosaur',
+            'author': 'Opentrons <engineering@opentrons.com>',
+            'description': 'A variant on "Dinosaur" for testing',
+            'source': 'Opentrons Repository',
+        }
     assert parsed.contents == compile(
         protocol.text,
         filename=fname,
@@ -223,7 +269,7 @@ def test_parse_bundle_details(get_bundle_fixture, ensure_api2):
     assert parsed.bundled_python == fixture['bundled_python']
     assert parsed.bundled_data == fixture['bundled_data']
     assert parsed.metadata == fixture['metadata']
-    assert parsed.api_level == '2'
+    assert parsed.api_level == APIVersion(2, 0)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('protocol_file',
diff --git a/app/src/components/CalibrateLabware/ConfirmModalContents.js b/app/src/components/CalibrateLabware/ConfirmModalContents.js
index 976bd2388de..d21d350a16a 100644
--- a/app/src/components/CalibrateLabware/ConfirmModalContents.js
+++ b/app/src/components/CalibrateLabware/ConfirmModalContents.js
@@ -61,6 +61,6 @@ function mapStateToProps(state, ownProps: OP): SP {
   const calibrator =
     pipettes.find(i => i.mount === calibratorMount) ||
     robotSelectors.getCalibrator(state)
-  const useCenteredTroughs = robotSelectors.getApiLevel(state) > 1
+  const useCenteredTroughs = robotSelectors.getApiLevel(state)[0] > 1
   return { calibrator, useCenteredTroughs }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/robot/actions.js b/app/src/robot/actions.js
index 7578954e3e1..b1b4b4cbc1f 100755
--- a/app/src/robot/actions.js
+++ b/app/src/robot/actions.js
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ export type SessionResponseAction = {|
     name: string,
     protocolText: string,
     metadata?: ?$PropertyType<ProtocolData, 'metadata'>,
-    apiLevel: number,
+    apiLevel: [number, number],
   |},
   meta: {| freshUpload: boolean |},
 |}
diff --git a/app/src/robot/api-client/client.js b/app/src/robot/api-client/client.js
index 6e57085f429..a390347249a 100755
--- a/app/src/robot/api-client/client.js
+++ b/app/src/robot/api-client/client.js
@@ -471,7 +471,17 @@ export default function client(dispatch) {
         )
       }
 
-      update.apiLevel = apiSession.api_level || 1
+      if (Array.isArray(apiSession.api_level)) {
+        update.apiLevel = apiSession.api_level
+      } else if (apiSession.api_level) {
+        // if we're connected to a robot on older software that still expresses
+        // its api level as a single int, it's the major version
+        update.apiLevel = [apiSession.api_level, 0]
+      } else {
+        // if we're connected to a robot on software sufficiently old that it
+        // doesn't send us its api level at all, it's on API v1
+        update.apiLevel = [1, 0]
+      }
 
       dispatch(actions.sessionResponse(null, update, freshUpload))
     } catch (error) {
diff --git a/app/src/robot/reducer/session.js b/app/src/robot/reducer/session.js
index e1328bcf060..10e17593603 100644
--- a/app/src/robot/reducer/session.js
+++ b/app/src/robot/reducer/session.js
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export type SessionState = {
   remoteTimeCompensation: number | null,
   startTime: ?number,
   runTime: number,
-  apiLevel: number,
+  apiLevel: [number, number],
 }
 
 // TODO(mc, 2018-01-11): replace actionType constants with Flow types
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ const INITIAL_STATE: SessionState = {
   remoteTimeCompensation: null,
   startTime: null,
   runTime: 0,
-  apiLevel: 1,
+  apiLevel: [1, 0],
 }
 
 export default function sessionReducer(
diff --git a/app/src/robot/test/api-client.test.js b/app/src/robot/test/api-client.test.js
index 503f121a1b9..66e2bbbdca1 100755
--- a/app/src/robot/test/api-client.test.js
+++ b/app/src/robot/test/api-client.test.js
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ describe('api client', () => {
           pipettesByMount: {},
           labwareBySlot: {},
           modulesBySlot: {},
-          apiLevel: 1,
+          apiLevel: [1, 0],
         },
         false
       )
diff --git a/app/src/robot/test/session-reducer.test.js b/app/src/robot/test/session-reducer.test.js
index b0ea05eb22a..1939f5cc0a4 100644
--- a/app/src/robot/test/session-reducer.test.js
+++ b/app/src/robot/test/session-reducer.test.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ describe('robot reducer - session', () => {
       remoteTimeCompensation: null,
       startTime: null,
       runTime: 0,
-      apiLevel: 1,
+      apiLevel: [1, 0],
     })
   })