diff --git a/definitions/hdf5/boot.def b/definitions/hdf5/boot.def
index ecb988ebd..ba6d79bae 100644
--- a/definitions/hdf5/boot.def
+++ b/definitions/hdf5/boot.def
@@ -1,29 +1,31 @@
 # http://www.hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/H5.format.html#Superblock
 constant identifier="HDF5";
 
-
 ascii[8] signature : dump;
 uint8 versionNumberOfSuperblock : dump;
 
-if(versionNumberOfSuperblock == 2) {
-	uint8 sizeOfOffsets : dump;
-	uint8 sizeOfLength : dump;
-	uint8 fileConsistencyFlags : dump;
+if (versionNumberOfSuperblock == 0 ||
+    versionNumberOfSuperblock == 1 ||
+    versionNumberOfSuperblock == 2 ||
+    versionNumberOfSuperblock == 3)
+{
+    uint8 sizeOfOffsets : dump;
+    uint8 sizeOfLength : dump;
+    uint8 fileConsistencyFlags : dump;
 
-	if(sizeOfOffsets == 8) {
-		uint64_little_endian baseAddress : dump;
-		uint64_little_endian superblockExtensionAddress : dump;
-		uint64_little_endian endOfFileAddress : dump;
-		uint64_little_endian rootGroupObjectHeaderAddress : dump;
-	}
+    if(sizeOfOffsets == 8) {
+        uint64_little_endian baseAddress : dump;
+        uint64_little_endian superblockExtensionAddress : dump;
+        uint64_little_endian endOfFileAddress : dump;
+        uint64_little_endian rootGroupObjectHeaderAddress : dump;
+    }
 
-	if(sizeOfOffsets == 4) {
-		uint32_little_endian baseAddress : dump;
-		uint32_little_endian superblockExtensionAddress : dump;
-		uint32_little_endian endOfFileAddress : dump;
-		uint32_little_endian rootGroupObjectHeaderAddress : dump;
-	}
-
-	#ascii[4] superblockChecksum;
+    if(sizeOfOffsets == 4) {
+        uint32_little_endian baseAddress : dump;
+        uint32_little_endian superblockExtensionAddress : dump;
+        uint32_little_endian endOfFileAddress : dump;
+        uint32_little_endian rootGroupObjectHeaderAddress : dump;
+    }
 
+    #ascii[4] superblockChecksum;
 }
diff --git a/src/grib_io.c b/src/grib_io.c
index 88848b07a..67f36527e 100644
--- a/src/grib_io.c
+++ b/src/grib_io.c
@@ -491,7 +491,11 @@ static int read_HDF5_offset(reader *r, int length, unsigned long* v, unsigned ch
 
     return 0;
 }
-
+static int check_hdf5_superblock_version(unsigned char version)
+{
+    if (version==0 || version==1 || version==2 || version==3) return GRIB_SUCCESS;
+    return GRIB_INVALID_MESSAGE;
+}
 static int read_HDF5(reader *r)
 {
     /* See: http://www.hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/H5.format.html#Superblock */
@@ -529,9 +533,9 @@ static int read_HDF5(reader *r)
     }
 
     tmp[i++] = version_of_superblock;
-
-    if(version_of_superblock != 2) {
-        grib_context_log(c, GRIB_LOG_ERROR,"read_HDF5: invalid version_of_superblock: %ld, only version 2 is supported", (long)version_of_superblock);
+    err = check_hdf5_superblock_version(version_of_superblock);
+    if(err) {
+        grib_context_log(c, GRIB_LOG_ERROR,"read_HDF5: invalid version of superblock: %ld", (long)version_of_superblock);
         return GRIB_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
     }