diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 706c95fe..e7daf189 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ dependencies = [
   "piexif",
   "pydantic ~= 2.10.6",
   "simplejpeg >= 1.8.2",
+  "semver ~= 3.0",
 ]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
diff --git a/src/openflexure_microscope_server/things/stage/sangaboard.py b/src/openflexure_microscope_server/things/stage/sangaboard.py
index 733d4099..e5cc99b5 100644
--- a/src/openflexure_microscope_server/things/stage/sangaboard.py
+++ b/src/openflexure_microscope_server/things/stage/sangaboard.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from types import TracebackType
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 
+import semver
 import sangaboard
 import labthings_fastapi as lt
 
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ from . import BaseStage
 
 LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+REQUIRED_VERSION = semver.Version.parse("1.0.0")
+RECOMMENDED_VERSION = semver.Version.parse("1.0.4")
+
 
 class SangaboardThing(BaseStage):
     """A Thing to manage a Sangaboard motor controller.
@@ -42,18 +46,15 @@ class SangaboardThing(BaseStage):
         """
         self.sangaboard_kwargs = copy(kwargs)
         self.sangaboard_kwargs["port"] = port
+        self._sangaboard_lock = threading.RLock()
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
 
     def __enter__(self) -> None:
         """Connect to the sangaboard when the Thing context manager is opened."""
         self._sangaboard = sangaboard.Sangaboard(**self.sangaboard_kwargs)
-        self._sangaboard_lock = threading.RLock()
         with self.sangaboard() as sb:
-            if sb.version_tuple[0] != 1:
-                raise RuntimeError(
-                    "Please update your Sangaboard Firmware. v1 is required."
-                )
             sb.query("blocking_moves false")
+        self.check_firmware()
         self.update_position()
 
     def __exit__(
@@ -89,6 +90,33 @@ class SangaboardThing(BaseStage):
                 zip(self.axis_names, sb.position, strict=True)
             )
 
+    def check_firmware(self) -> None:
+        """Error/warn if firmware doesn't meet requirements/recommendations.
+
+        Raise a Runtime Error if the version is below REQUIRED_VERSION
+
+        Log a warning if the version is below RECOMMENDED_VERSION
+        """
+        with self.sangaboard() as sb:
+            # This will raise a ValueError is if the firmware version cannot be parsed
+            # this error will stop the microscope booting as we cannot ensure valid
+            # firmware.
+            version = semver.Version.parse(sb.firmware_version)
+
+            # Raise an error if version is below required
+            if version < REQUIRED_VERSION:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f"Sangaboard firmware version {version} is below the required "
+                    f"{REQUIRED_VERSION}."
+                )
+
+            # Warn if version is below recommended
+            if version < RECOMMENDED_VERSION:
+                LOGGER.warning(
+                    f"Sangaboard firmware version {version} is below the recommended "
+                    f"{RECOMMENDED_VERSION}."
+                )
+
     def _hardware_move_relative(
         self,
         cancel: lt.deps.CancelHook,
diff --git a/tests/test_sangaboard.py b/tests/test_sangaboard.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a75b19a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_sangaboard.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""Tests for the Sangaboard thing."""
+
+import logging
+
+import pytest
+
+from openflexure_microscope_server.things.stage.sangaboard import (
+    SangaboardThing,
+    REQUIRED_VERSION,
+    RECOMMENDED_VERSION,
+)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_sanga_thing(mocker):
+    """Return a Sangaboard thing with a MagicMock for self._sangaboard."""
+    sanga_thing = SangaboardThing()
+    sanga_thing._sangaboard = mocker.MagicMock()
+    return sanga_thing
+
+
+def test_check_old_firmware(mock_sanga_thing):
+    """Check firmware prior to version 1 throws a Runtime Error."""
+    mock_sanga_thing._sangaboard.firmware_version = "0.1.1"
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        mock_sanga_thing.check_firmware()
+
+
+def test_firmware_before_recommended(mock_sanga_thing, caplog):
+    """Check required version warns if it is lower than the recommended version."""
+    if REQUIRED_VERSION == RECOMMENDED_VERSION:
+        # If required is currently the same as recommended then this test isn't valid
+        return
+    mock_sanga_thing._sangaboard.firmware_version = str(REQUIRED_VERSION)
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+        mock_sanga_thing.check_firmware()
+    assert len(caplog.records) == 1
+    msg = (
+        f"Sangaboard firmware version {REQUIRED_VERSION} is below the recommended "
+        f"{RECOMMENDED_VERSION}."
+    )
+    assert caplog.records[0].message == msg
+
+
+def test_dev_is_before_recommended(mock_sanga_thing, caplog):
+    """Check that a dev version of the recommended version warns."""
+    if REQUIRED_VERSION == RECOMMENDED_VERSION:
+        # If required is currently the same as recommended then this test isn't valid
+        return
+    dev_version = RECOMMENDED_VERSION.replace(prerelease="dev1")
+    mock_sanga_thing._sangaboard.firmware_version = str(dev_version)
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+        mock_sanga_thing.check_firmware()
+    assert len(caplog.records) == 1
+    msg = (
+        f"Sangaboard firmware version {dev_version} is below the recommended "
+        f"{RECOMMENDED_VERSION}."
+    )
+    assert caplog.records[0].message == msg
+
+
+def test_valid_firmware(mock_sanga_thing, caplog):
+    """Check valid firmware doesn't error."""
+    versions = [
+        RECOMMENDED_VERSION,  # Recommended
+        RECOMMENDED_VERSION.bump_major(),  # Higher versions
+        RECOMMENDED_VERSION.bump_minor(),
+        RECOMMENDED_VERSION.bump_patch(),
+        RECOMMENDED_VERSION.bump_patch().replace(prerelease="dev1"),
+    ]
+    # Note that dev1 will not warn in check version, but will warn in the underlying
+    # Sangaboard library as it is a pre-release.
+
+    for version in versions:
+        mock_sanga_thing._sangaboard.firmware_version = str(version)
+        with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+            mock_sanga_thing.check_firmware()
+        assert len(caplog.records) == 0