diff --git a/docker/docker-chaos/metrictank.ini b/docker/docker-chaos/metrictank.ini
index 430fd9b5a0..5c91081a0a 100644
--- a/docker/docker-chaos/metrictank.ini
+++ b/docker/docker-chaos/metrictank.ini
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ enabled = true
 org-id = 0
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 topics = mdm
 # offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration
@@ -324,8 +324,8 @@ dns-config-path = /etc/resolv.conf
 enabled = true
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (only one)
 topic = metricpersist
 # kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's. Should match kafka-mdm-in's partitions.
diff --git a/docker/docker-cluster/metrictank.ini b/docker/docker-cluster/metrictank.ini
index 87baf0847a..03d164be0f 100644
--- a/docker/docker-cluster/metrictank.ini
+++ b/docker/docker-cluster/metrictank.ini
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ enabled = true
 org-id = 0
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 topics = mdm
 # offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration
@@ -324,8 +324,8 @@ dns-config-path = /etc/resolv.conf
 enabled = true
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (only one)
 topic = metricpersist
 # kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's. Should match kafka-mdm-in's partitions.
diff --git a/docker/docker-dev-custom-cfg-kafka/metrictank.ini b/docker/docker-dev-custom-cfg-kafka/metrictank.ini
index 93a89dc15d..5f788b730b 100644
--- a/docker/docker-dev-custom-cfg-kafka/metrictank.ini
+++ b/docker/docker-dev-custom-cfg-kafka/metrictank.ini
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ enabled = true
 org-id = 1
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 topics = mdm
 # offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration
@@ -324,8 +324,8 @@ dns-config-path = /etc/resolv.conf
 enabled = true
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (only one)
 topic = metricpersist
 # kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's. Should match kafka-mdm-in's partitions.
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index 5f0caf7bc7..dffea35e44 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -276,8 +276,8 @@ enabled = false
 org-id = 0
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 topics = mdm
 # offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration
@@ -385,8 +385,8 @@ dns-config-path = /etc/resolv.conf
 enabled = false
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (only one)
 topic = metricpersist
 # kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's. Should match kafka-mdm-in's partitions.
diff --git a/input/kafkamdm/kafkamdm.go b/input/kafkamdm/kafkamdm.go
index ca718cf8fd..ea4b130c36 100644
--- a/input/kafkamdm/kafkamdm.go
+++ b/input/kafkamdm/kafkamdm.go
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func ConfigSetup() {
 	inKafkaMdm.BoolVar(&Enabled, "enabled", false, "")
 	inKafkaMdm.UintVar(&orgId, "org-id", 0, "For incoming MetricPoint messages without org-id, assume this org id")
 	inKafkaMdm.StringVar(&brokerStr, "brokers", "kafka:9092", "tcp address for kafka (may be be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)")
-	inKafkaMdm.StringVar(&kafkaVersionStr, "kafka-version", "V0_10_0_0", "Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.")
+	inKafkaMdm.StringVar(&kafkaVersionStr, "kafka-version", "0.10.0.0", "Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.")
 	inKafkaMdm.StringVar(&topicStr, "topics", "mdm", "kafka topic (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)")
 	inKafkaMdm.StringVar(&offsetStr, "offset", "last", "Set the offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration")
 	inKafkaMdm.StringVar(&partitionStr, "partitions", "*", "kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's")
diff --git a/mdata/notifierKafka/cfg.go b/mdata/notifierKafka/cfg.go
index 8aac49caa5..1470659ec6 100644
--- a/mdata/notifierKafka/cfg.go
+++ b/mdata/notifierKafka/cfg.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func init() {
 	fs := flag.NewFlagSet("kafka-cluster", flag.ExitOnError)
 	fs.BoolVar(&Enabled, "enabled", false, "")
 	fs.StringVar(&brokerStr, "brokers", "kafka:9092", "tcp address for kafka (may be given multiple times as comma separated list)")
-	fs.StringVar(&kafkaVersionStr, "kafka-version", "V0_10_0_0", "Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.")
+	fs.StringVar(&kafkaVersionStr, "kafka-version", "0.10.0.0", "Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.")
 	fs.StringVar(&topic, "topic", "metricpersist", "kafka topic")
 	fs.StringVar(&partitionStr, "partitions", "*", "kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's. This should match the partitions used for kafka-mdm-in")
 	fs.StringVar(&offsetStr, "offset", "last", "Set the offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration")
diff --git a/metrictank-sample.ini b/metrictank-sample.ini
index 776185aa2a..84a0f30afb 100644
--- a/metrictank-sample.ini
+++ b/metrictank-sample.ini
@@ -227,8 +227,8 @@ enabled = false
 org-id = 0
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 topics = mdm
 # offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration
@@ -327,8 +327,8 @@ dns-config-path = /etc/resolv.conf
 enabled = false
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (only one)
 topic = metricpersist
 # kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's. Should match kafka-mdm-in's partitions.
diff --git a/scripts/config/metrictank-docker.ini b/scripts/config/metrictank-docker.ini
index 4ebf8c27b5..1e5f2c9c85 100644
--- a/scripts/config/metrictank-docker.ini
+++ b/scripts/config/metrictank-docker.ini
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ enabled = false
 org-id = 0
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 topics = mdm
 # offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration
@@ -324,8 +324,8 @@ dns-config-path = /etc/resolv.conf
 enabled = false
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = kafka:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (only one)
 topic = metricpersist
 # kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's. Should match kafka-mdm-in's partitions.
diff --git a/scripts/config/metrictank-package.ini b/scripts/config/metrictank-package.ini
index 05f49913b7..3acb71b90a 100644
--- a/scripts/config/metrictank-package.ini
+++ b/scripts/config/metrictank-package.ini
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ enabled = false
 org-id = 0
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = localhost:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 topics = mdm
 # offset to start consuming from. Can be one of newest, oldest,last or a time duration
@@ -324,8 +324,8 @@ dns-config-path = /etc/resolv.conf
 enabled = false
 # tcp address (may be given multiple times as a comma-separated list)
 brokers = localhost:9092
-# Kafka version. All brokers must be this version or newer.
-kafka-version = V0_10_0_0
+# Kafka version in semver format. All brokers must be this version or newer.
+kafka-version = 0.10.0.0
 # kafka topic (only one)
 topic = metricpersist
 # kafka partitions to consume. use '*' or a comma separated list of id's. Should match kafka-mdm-in's partitions.