diff --git a/xCAT-test/unit/version_release.t b/xCAT-test/unit/version_release.t
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9dc2e44fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/unit/version_release.t
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env perl
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+
+use FindBin;
+use Test::More;
+
+use lib "$FindBin::Bin/../../perl-xCAT";
+require xCAT::Version;
+
+# xcatd tells a real version mismatch (different release) from a same-release
+# build difference by comparing xCAT::Version->Release. Release must strip the
+# build-specific decoration the build stamps onto the version string, so nodes
+# at the same release built from different snapshots are not reported as a
+# version mismatch.
+
+my $va = "Version 2.18.2 (git commit aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa)";
+my $vb = "Version 2.18.2 (git commit bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb)";
+my $vc = "Version 2.19.0 (git commit cccccccccccccccc)";
+
+is(xCAT::Version->Release($va), "Version 2.18.2",
+    'Release strips the git-commit decoration');
+is(xCAT::Version->Release($va), xCAT::Version->Release($vb),
+    'the same release built from different snapshots compares equal');
+isnt(xCAT::Version->Release($va), xCAT::Version->Release($vc),
+    'a real release difference is still reported');
+
+# A string with no decoration is returned unchanged.
+is(xCAT::Version->Release("Version 2.18.2"), "Version 2.18.2",
+    'a version without decoration is left as is');
+
+done_testing();