diff --git a/src/command/commands.c b/src/command/commands.c
index 53a2b1a3..853fee39 100644
--- a/src/command/commands.c
+++ b/src/command/commands.c
@@ -2653,7 +2653,8 @@ cmd_otr(gchar **args, struct cmd_help_t help)
                 if (!otr_key_loaded()) {
                     ui_current_print_formatted_line('!', 0, "You have not generated or loaded a private key, use '/otr gen'");
                 } else if (!otr_is_secure(barejid)) {
-                    message_send("?OTR?", barejid);
+                    char *otr_query_message = otr_start_query();
+                    message_send(otr_query_message, barejid);
                 } else {
                     ui_gone_secure(barejid, otr_is_trusted(barejid));
                 }
@@ -2670,7 +2671,8 @@ cmd_otr(gchar **args, struct cmd_help_t help)
                     ui_current_print_formatted_line('!', 0, "You have not generated or loaded a private key, use '/otr gen'");
                 } else {
                     char *recipient = ui_current_recipient();
-                    message_send("?OTR?", recipient);
+                    char *otr_query_message = otr_start_query();
+                    message_send(otr_query_message, recipient);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/otr/otr.c b/src/otr/otr.c
index f28406f2..64194cfc 100644
--- a/src/otr/otr.c
+++ b/src/otr/otr.c
@@ -99,6 +99,12 @@ _otr_libotr_version(void)
     return OTRL_VERSION;
 }
 
+static char *
+_otr_start_query(void)
+{
+    return otrlib_start_query();
+}
+
 static void
 _otr_init(void)
 {
@@ -454,6 +460,7 @@ otr_init_module(void)
 {
     otr_init = _otr_init;
     otr_libotr_version = _otr_libotr_version;
+    otr_start_query = _otr_start_query;
     otr_on_connect = _otr_on_connect;
     otr_keygen = _otr_keygen;
     otr_key_loaded = _otr_key_loaded;
diff --git a/src/otr/otr.h b/src/otr/otr.h
index eaf975d3..6318f425 100644
--- a/src/otr/otr.h
+++ b/src/otr/otr.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ void otr_init_module(void);
 
 void (*otr_init)(void);
 char* (*otr_libotr_version)(void);
+char* (*otr_start_query)(void);
 void (*otr_on_connect)(ProfAccount *account);
 void (*otr_keygen)(ProfAccount *account);
 
diff --git a/src/otr/otrlib.h b/src/otr/otrlib.h
index bf187363..160a9e73 100644
--- a/src/otr/otrlib.h
+++ b/src/otr/otrlib.h
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 
 OtrlPolicy otrlib_policy(void);
 
+char* otrlib_start_query(void);
+
 void otrlib_init_ops(OtrlMessageAppOps *ops);
 
 ConnContext * otrlib_context_find(OtrlUserState user_state, const char * const recipient, char *jid);
diff --git a/src/otr/otrlibv3.c b/src/otr/otrlibv3.c
index b12f0b8f..3336093d 100644
--- a/src/otr/otrlibv3.c
+++ b/src/otr/otrlibv3.c
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ otrlib_policy(void)
     return OTRL_POLICY_ALLOW_V1 | OTRL_POLICY_ALLOW_V2 ;
 }
 
+char *
+otrlib_start_query(void)
+{
+    return "?OTR?v2?";
+}
+
 static int
 cb_display_otr_message(void *opdata, const char *accountname,
     const char *protocol, const char *username, const char *msg)
diff --git a/src/otr/otrlibv4.c b/src/otr/otrlibv4.c
index f0b58a46..5c670355 100644
--- a/src/otr/otrlibv4.c
+++ b/src/otr/otrlibv4.c
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ otrlib_policy(void)
     return OTRL_POLICY_ALLOW_V1 | OTRL_POLICY_ALLOW_V2 | OTRL_POLICY_ALLOW_V3;
 }
 
+char *
+otrlib_start_query(void)
+{
+    return "?OTR?v23?";
+}
+
 static const char*
 cb_otr_error_message(void *opdata, ConnContext *context,
     OtrlErrorCode err_code)