diff --git a/crates/fluvio/src/admin.rs b/crates/fluvio/src/admin.rs
index 771f843853..81df8693f4 100644
--- a/crates/fluvio/src/admin.rs
+++ b/crates/fluvio/src/admin.rs
@@ -22,8 +22,9 @@ use fluvio_sc_schema::{AdminSpec, DeletableAdminSpec, CreatableAdminSpec, TryEnc
 use fluvio_socket::{ClientConfig, VersionedSerialSocket, SerialFrame, MultiplexerSocket};
 
 use crate::FluvioConfig;
-use crate::metadata::objects::{ListResponse, ListRequest};
 use crate::config::ConfigFile;
+use crate::error::anyhow_version_error;
+use crate::metadata::objects::{ListResponse, ListRequest};
 use crate::sync::MetadataStores;
 
 /// An interface for managing a Fluvio cluster
@@ -135,9 +136,8 @@ impl FluvioAdmin {
                 metadata,
             })
         } else {
-            let platform_version = versions.platform_version();
-            let client_version = crate::VERSION.trim();
-            Err(anyhow!("Fluvio Client {client_version} and Cluster {platform_version} versions are not compatible. Please upgrade client to {platform_version}"))
+            let platform_version = versions.platform_version().to_string();
+            Err(anyhow_version_error(&platform_version))
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/fluvio/src/error.rs b/crates/fluvio/src/error.rs
index d3c161a52e..27aa88edd0 100644
--- a/crates/fluvio/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/fluvio/src/error.rs
@@ -68,3 +68,9 @@ To interact with this cluster, please install the matching CLI version using the
     #[error("Unknown error: {0}")]
     Other(String),
 }
+
+pub fn anyhow_version_error(platform_ver: &str) -> anyhow::Error {
+    use anyhow::anyhow;
+    let client_ver = crate::VERSION.trim();
+    anyhow!("Fluvio Client {client_ver} and Cluster {platform_ver} versions are not compatible. Please use a client compatible with {platform_ver}")
+}
diff --git a/crates/fluvio/src/fluvio.rs b/crates/fluvio/src/fluvio.rs
index 40e0c50fb9..20fcc8f3d8 100644
--- a/crates/fluvio/src/fluvio.rs
+++ b/crates/fluvio/src/fluvio.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use fluvio_sc_schema::topic::PartitionMap;
 use fluvio_sc_schema::topic::ReplicaSpec;
 use tracing::{debug, info};
 use tokio::sync::OnceCell;
-use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
+use anyhow::Result;
 
 use fluvio_sc_schema::objects::ObjectApiWatchRequest;
 use fluvio_types::PartitionId;
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use fluvio_future::net::DomainConnector;
 use semver::Version;
 
 use crate::admin::FluvioAdmin;
+use crate::error::anyhow_version_error;
 use crate::producer::TopicProducerPool;
 use crate::spu::SpuPool;
 use crate::TopicProducer;
@@ -122,9 +123,8 @@ impl Fluvio {
                 metric: Arc::new(ClientMetrics::new()),
             })
         } else {
-            let platform_version = versions.platform_version();
-            let client_version = crate::VERSION.trim();
-            Err(anyhow!("Fluvio Client {client_version} and Cluster {platform_version} versions are not compatible. Please upgrade client to {platform_version}"))
+            let platform_version = versions.platform_version().to_string();
+            Err(anyhow_version_error(&platform_version))
         }
     }