diff --git a/platform/default/mbgl/storage/offline_database.cpp b/platform/default/mbgl/storage/offline_database.cpp
index 8256912d3..a24c0cf91 100644
--- a/platform/default/mbgl/storage/offline_database.cpp
+++ b/platform/default/mbgl/storage/offline_database.cpp
@@ -652,11 +652,13 @@ OfflineDatabase::mergeDatabase(const std::string& sideDatabasePath) {
         return unexpected<std::exception_ptr>(std::current_exception());
     }
     try {
-        // Attaching an accessible path without a db file creates a new temporary
-        //database and attaches it. Check for matching schema version.
+        // Support sideloaded databases at user_version = 6. Future schema version
+        // changes will need to implement migration paths for sideloaded databases at
+        // version 6.
         auto sideUserVersion = static_cast<int>(getPragma<int64_t>("PRAGMA side.user_version"));
-        if (sideUserVersion != 6) {
-            throw std::runtime_error("Merge database does not match schema or has incorrect user_version");
+        const auto mainUserVersion = getPragma<int64_t>("PRAGMA user_version");
+        if (sideUserVersion < 6 || sideUserVersion != mainUserVersion) {
+            throw std::runtime_error("Merge database has incorrect user_version");
         }
 
         mapbox::sqlite::Transaction transaction(*db);
diff --git a/test/storage/offline_database.test.cpp b/test/storage/offline_database.test.cpp
index c9e3203ab..7511924d8 100644
--- a/test/storage/offline_database.test.cpp
+++ b/test/storage/offline_database.test.cpp
@@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ TEST(OfflineDatabase, MergeDatabaseWithInvalidPath) {
     auto result = db.mergeDatabase(filename_sideload);
     EXPECT_FALSE(result);
 
-    EXPECT_EQ(1u, log.count({ EventSeverity::Error, Event::Database, -1, "Merge database does not match schema or has incorrect user_version" }));
+    EXPECT_EQ(1u, log.count({ EventSeverity::Error, Event::Database, -1, "Merge database has incorrect user_version" }));
     EXPECT_EQ(0u, log.uncheckedCount());
 }