diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index e43f50c94..6f750b347 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changes
 
+###### cordova-sqlite-legacy-express-core 1.0.4-devtest00
+
+TBD
+
 ###### cordova-sqlite-legacy-express-core 1.0.3
 
 - Resolve Java 6/7/8 concurrent map compatibility issue reported in litehelpers/Cordova-sqlite-storage#726, THANKS to pointer by @NeoLSN (Jason Yang/楊朝傑) in litehelpers/Cordova-sqlite-storage#727.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c63251245..bf0368f3b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "cordova-sqlite-legacy-express-core",
-  "version": "1.0.3",
+  "version": "1.0.4-devtest00",
   "description": "Native interface to SQLite for PhoneGap/Cordova (legacy express core version)",
   "cordova": {
     "id": "cordova-sqlite-legacy-express-core",
diff --git a/plugin.xml b/plugin.xml
index 11689aa60..8380b945d 100644
--- a/plugin.xml
+++ b/plugin.xml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <plugin xmlns="http://www.phonegap.com/ns/plugins/1.0"
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     id="cordova-sqlite-legacy-express-core"
-    version="1.0.3">
+    version="1.0.4-devtest00">
 
     <name>Cordova sqlite storage plugin - legacy express core version</name>
 
diff --git a/spec/www/index.html b/spec/www/index.html
index d84a43e65..2a1ac74dc 100644
--- a/spec/www/index.html
+++ b/spec/www/index.html
@@ -16,9 +16,12 @@
   <!-- [Cordova] source file(s): -->
   <script src="cordova.js"></script>
 
-  <!-- spec file(s): -->
+  <!-- browser startup test: -->
   <script src="spec/browser-check-startup.js"></script>
+
+  <!-- other spec file(s): -->
   <script src="spec/self-test.js"></script>
+  <script src="spec/sqlite-version-test.js"></script>
   <script src="spec/db-tx-string-test.js"></script>
   <script src="spec/db-tx-sql-results.js"></script>
   <script src="spec/sql-batch-test.js"></script>
diff --git a/spec/www/spec/sqlite-version-test.js b/spec/www/spec/sqlite-version-test.js
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..b5b8c6115
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/www/spec/sqlite-version-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+/* 'use strict'; */
+
+var MYTIMEOUT = 12000;
+
+var DEFAULT_SIZE = 5000000; // max to avoid popup in safari/ios
+
+var isWP8 = /IEMobile/.test(navigator.userAgent); // Matches WP(7/8/8.1)
+var isWindows = /Windows /.test(navigator.userAgent); // Windows (8.1)
+var isAndroid = !isWindows && /Android/.test(navigator.userAgent);
+
+// The following openDatabase settings are used for Plugin-implementation-2
+// on Android:
+// - androidDatabaseImplementation: 2
+// - androidLockWorkaround: 1
+var scenarioList = [
+  isAndroid ? 'Plugin-implementation-default' : 'Plugin',
+  'HTML5',
+  'Plugin-implementation-2'
+];
+
+var scenarioCount = (!!window.hasWebKitBrowser) ? (isAndroid ? 3 : 2) : 1;
+
+var mytests = function() {
+
+  for (var i=0; i<scenarioCount; ++i) {
+
+    describe(scenarioList[i] + ': sqlite version test(s)', function() {
+      var scenarioName = scenarioList[i];
+      var suiteName = scenarioName + ': ';
+      var isWebSql = (i === 1);
+      var isImpl2 = (i === 2);
+
+      // NOTE: MUST be defined in proper describe function scope, NOT outer scope:
+      var openDatabase = function(name, ignored1, ignored2, ignored3) {
+        if (isImpl2) {
+          return window.sqlitePlugin.openDatabase({
+            // prevent reuse of database from default db implementation:
+            name: 'i2-'+name,
+            androidDatabaseImplementation: 2,
+            androidLockWorkaround: 1,
+            location: 'default'
+          });
+        }
+        if (isWebSql) {
+          return window.openDatabase(name, "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+        } else {
+          return window.sqlitePlugin.openDatabase({name: name, location: 'default'});
+        }
+      }
+
+      describe(suiteName + 'basic sqlite version test(s)', function() {
+
+        it(suiteName + 'Check sqlite version (pattern ONLY for WebKit Web SQL & androidDatabaseImplementation: 2)', function(done) {
+          var db = openDatabase("check-sqlite-version.db", "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+
+          expect(db).toBeDefined();
+
+          db.transaction(function(tx) {
+            expect(tx).toBeDefined();
+
+            tx.executeSql('SELECT SQLITE_VERSION() AS myResult', [], function(tx_ignored, rs) {
+              expect(rs).toBeDefined();
+              expect(rs.rows).toBeDefined();
+              expect(rs.rows.length).toBe(1);
+              // Check pattern (both Web SQL & plugin)
+              expect(rs.rows.item(0).myResult).toMatch(/3\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+/);
+              // NOT IN THIS VERSION BRANCH:
+              // Check specific [plugin only]:
+              // ...
+
+              // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+              (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+            });
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('--');
+            done();
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+      });
+
+      describe(suiteName + 'sqlite encoding test(s)', function() {
+
+        it(suiteName + 'Check internal database encoding: UTF-16le for Windows, UTF-8 for others (plugin ONLY)', function(done) {
+          if (isWebSql) pending('SKIP: NOT SUPPORTED for (WebKit) Web SQL');
+
+          var db = openDatabase("Check-sqlite-PRAGMA-encoding.db", "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+
+          expect(db).toBeDefined();
+
+          db.executeSql('PRAGMA encoding', [], function(rs) {
+            expect(rs).toBeDefined();
+            expect(rs.rows).toBeDefined();
+            expect(rs.rows.length).toBe(1);
+            if (isWindows)
+              expect(rs.rows.item(0).encoding).toBe('UTF-16le');
+            else
+              expect(rs.rows.item(0).encoding).toBe('UTF-8');
+
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('--');
+            done();
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+      });
+
+    });
+
+  }
+
+}
+
+if (window.hasBrowser) mytests();
+else exports.defineAutoTests = mytests;
+
+/* vim: set expandtab : */