diff --git a/pom/plugin.jelly b/pom/plugin.jelly
index fc70c9de..7b359cee 100644
--- a/pom/plugin.jelly
+++ b/pom/plugin.jelly
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   xmlns:d="jelly:define"
   xmlns:pom="pom"
   xmlns:util="jelly:util"
+  xmlns:ant="jelly:ant"
   xmlns:artifact="artifact">
 
   <!-- set up pom tag library -->
@@ -19,10 +20,23 @@
   <goal name="pom" description="Validate the Maven XML project descriptor"
       prereqs="pom:validate"/>
 
+  <!--
+     ========================================================================
+       Verify validity of <pomVersion> element.
+     ========================================================================
+  -->
+  <goal name="pom:verify-version">
+
+    <j:if test="${not(pom.pomVersion == '3' or pom.pomVersion == '4')}">
+      <ant:fail>POM version should be either "3" or "4", found "${pom.pomVersion}".</ant:fail>
+    </j:if>
+    
+  </goal>
+
   <!-- ================================================================== -->
   <!-- V A L I D A T E  P O M                                             -->
   <!-- ================================================================== -->
-  <goal name="pom:validate"
+  <goal name="pom:validate" prereqs="pom:verify-version"
       description="Validate the Maven XML project descriptor">
 
     <path id="validate.path">
diff --git a/pom/xdocs/changes.xml b/pom/xdocs/changes.xml
index 38584bc8..2105799d 100644
--- a/pom/xdocs/changes.xml
+++ b/pom/xdocs/changes.xml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
   <body>
     <releases>
       <release version="1.4" date="in CVS">
+        <action dev="vmassol" type="add">
+          Verify valid POM versions. Only "3" and "4" are currently allowed.
+        </action>
         <action dev="vmassol" type="add">
           Added support for validating different POM versions.
         </action>
