diff --git a/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Builder/DownstreamReRouteBuilder.cs b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Builder/DownstreamReRouteBuilder.cs
index c318b949..09f5c59a 100644
--- a/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Builder/DownstreamReRouteBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Builder/DownstreamReRouteBuilder.cs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Builder
         private bool _dangerousAcceptAnyServerCertificateValidator;
         private SecurityOptions _securityOptions;
         private string _downstreamHttpMethod;
-        private string _downstreamHttpVersion;
+        private Version _downstreamHttpVersion;
 
         public DownstreamReRouteBuilder()
         {
@@ -257,9 +257,9 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Builder
             return this;
         }
 
-        public DownstreamReRouteBuilder WithHttpVersion(string httpVersion)
+        public DownstreamReRouteBuilder WithHttpVersion(Version downstreamHttpVersion)
         {
-            _downstreamHttpVersion = httpVersion;
+            _downstreamHttpVersion = downstreamHttpVersion;
             return this;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/IVersionCreator.cs b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/IVersionCreator.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d810bde3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/IVersionCreator.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Creator
+{
+    using System;
+
+    public interface IVersionCreator
+    {
+        Version Create(string downstreamHttpVersion);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/ReRoutesCreator.cs b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/ReRoutesCreator.cs
index 63f42197..ad896ac9 100644
--- a/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/ReRoutesCreator.cs
+++ b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/ReRoutesCreator.cs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Creator
         private readonly IDownstreamAddressesCreator _downstreamAddressesCreator;
         private readonly IReRouteKeyCreator _reRouteKeyCreator;
         private readonly ISecurityOptionsCreator _securityOptionsCreator;
+        private readonly IVersionCreator _versionCreator;
 
         public ReRoutesCreator(
             IClaimsToThingCreator claimsToThingCreator,
@@ -37,7 +38,8 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Creator
             IDownstreamAddressesCreator downstreamAddressesCreator,
             ILoadBalancerOptionsCreator loadBalancerOptionsCreator,
             IReRouteKeyCreator reRouteKeyCreator,
-            ISecurityOptionsCreator securityOptionsCreator
+            ISecurityOptionsCreator securityOptionsCreator,
+            IVersionCreator versionCreator
             )
         {
             _reRouteKeyCreator = reRouteKeyCreator;
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Creator
             _httpHandlerOptionsCreator = httpHandlerOptionsCreator;
             _loadBalancerOptionsCreator = loadBalancerOptionsCreator;
             _securityOptionsCreator = securityOptionsCreator;
+            _versionCreator = versionCreator;
         }
 
         public List<ReRoute> Create(FileConfiguration fileConfiguration)
@@ -104,6 +107,8 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Creator
 
             var securityOptions = _securityOptionsCreator.Create(fileReRoute.SecurityOptions);
 
+            var downstreamHttpVersion = _versionCreator.Create(fileReRoute.DownstreamHttpVersion);
+
             var reRoute = new DownstreamReRouteBuilder()
                 .WithKey(fileReRoute.Key)
                 .WithDownstreamPathTemplate(fileReRoute.DownstreamPathTemplate)
@@ -138,7 +143,7 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Creator
                 .WithAddHeadersToUpstream(hAndRs.AddHeadersToUpstream)
                 .WithDangerousAcceptAnyServerCertificateValidator(fileReRoute.DangerousAcceptAnyServerCertificateValidator)
                 .WithSecurityOptions(securityOptions)
-                .WithHttpVersion(fileReRoute.DownstreamHttpVersion)
+                .WithHttpVersion(downstreamHttpVersion)
                 .WithDownStreamHttpMethod(fileReRoute.DownstreamHttpMethod)
                 .Build();
 
diff --git a/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/VersionCreator.cs b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/VersionCreator.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6fb3ad1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/Creator/VersionCreator.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+namespace Ocelot.Configuration.Creator
+{
+    using System;
+
+    public class VersionCreator : IVersionCreator
+    {
+        public Version Create(string downstreamHttpVersion)
+        {
+            if (!Version.TryParse(downstreamHttpVersion, out Version version))
+            {
+                version = new Version(1, 1);
+            }
+
+            return version;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Ocelot/Configuration/DownstreamReRoute.cs b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/DownstreamReRoute.cs
index d8a3cb74..be044539 100644
--- a/src/Ocelot/Configuration/DownstreamReRoute.cs
+++ b/src/Ocelot/Configuration/DownstreamReRoute.cs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration
             bool dangerousAcceptAnyServerCertificateValidator,
             SecurityOptions securityOptions,
             string downstreamHttpMethod,
-            string downstreamHttpVersion)
+            Version downstreamHttpVersion)
         {
             DangerousAcceptAnyServerCertificateValidator = dangerousAcceptAnyServerCertificateValidator;
             AddHeadersToDownstream = addHeadersToDownstream;
@@ -112,6 +112,6 @@ namespace Ocelot.Configuration
         public bool DangerousAcceptAnyServerCertificateValidator { get; }
         public SecurityOptions SecurityOptions { get; }
         public string DownstreamHttpMethod { get; }
-        public string DownstreamHttpVersion { get;  }
+        public Version DownstreamHttpVersion { get;  }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Ocelot/DependencyInjection/OcelotBuilder.cs b/src/Ocelot/DependencyInjection/OcelotBuilder.cs
index 7f92d50d..2f1444f6 100644
--- a/src/Ocelot/DependencyInjection/OcelotBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/Ocelot/DependencyInjection/OcelotBuilder.cs
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ namespace Ocelot.DependencyInjection
             Services.TryAddSingleton<IFrameworkDescription, FrameworkDescription>();
             Services.TryAddSingleton<IQoSFactory, QoSFactory>();
             Services.TryAddSingleton<IExceptionToErrorMapper, HttpExeptionToErrorMapper>();
+            Services.TryAddSingleton<IVersionCreator, VersionCreator>();
 
             //add security
             this.AddSecurity();
diff --git a/src/Ocelot/Request/Mapper/RequestMapper.cs b/src/Ocelot/Request/Mapper/RequestMapper.cs
index f7ad7c38..7d383a70 100644
--- a/src/Ocelot/Request/Mapper/RequestMapper.cs
+++ b/src/Ocelot/Request/Mapper/RequestMapper.cs
@@ -20,17 +20,12 @@
         {
             try
             {
-                if (!Version.TryParse(downstreamReRoute.DownstreamHttpVersion, out Version version))
-                {
-                    version = new Version(1, 1);
-                }
-                
                 var requestMessage = new HttpRequestMessage()
                 {
                     Content = await MapContent(request),
                     Method = MapMethod(request, downstreamReRoute),
                     RequestUri = MapUri(request),
-                    Version = version,
+                    Version = downstreamReRoute.DownstreamHttpVersion,
                 };
 
                 MapHeaders(request, requestMessage);
diff --git a/test/Ocelot.UnitTests/Configuration/ReRoutesCreatorTests.cs b/test/Ocelot.UnitTests/Configuration/ReRoutesCreatorTests.cs
index 32c235aa..47bc07c8 100644
--- a/test/Ocelot.UnitTests/Configuration/ReRoutesCreatorTests.cs
+++ b/test/Ocelot.UnitTests/Configuration/ReRoutesCreatorTests.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 namespace Ocelot.UnitTests.Configuration
 {
+    using System;
     using Moq;
     using Ocelot.Cache;
     using Ocelot.Configuration;
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
         private Mock<ILoadBalancerOptionsCreator> _lboCreator;
         private Mock<IReRouteKeyCreator> _rrkCreator;
         private Mock<ISecurityOptionsCreator> _soCreator;
+        private Mock<IVersionCreator> _versionCreator;
         private FileConfiguration _fileConfig;
         private ReRouteOptions _rro;
         private string _requestId;
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@
         private LoadBalancerOptions _lbo;
         private List<ReRoute> _result;
         private SecurityOptions _securityOptions;
+        private Version _expectedVersion;
 
         public ReRoutesCreatorTests()
         {
@@ -63,6 +66,7 @@
             _lboCreator = new Mock<ILoadBalancerOptionsCreator>();
             _rrkCreator = new Mock<IReRouteKeyCreator>();
             _soCreator = new Mock<ISecurityOptionsCreator>();
+            _versionCreator = new Mock<IVersionCreator>();
 
             _creator = new ReRoutesCreator(
                 _cthCreator.Object,
@@ -78,7 +82,8 @@
                 _daCreator.Object,
                 _lboCreator.Object,
                 _rrkCreator.Object,
-                _soCreator.Object
+                _soCreator.Object,
+                _versionCreator.Object
                 );
         }
 
@@ -155,6 +160,7 @@
 
         private void GivenTheDependenciesAreSetUpCorrectly()
         {
+            _expectedVersion = new Version("1.1");
             _rro = new ReRouteOptions(false, false, false, false, false);
             _requestId = "testy";
             _rrk = "besty";
@@ -182,6 +188,7 @@
             _hfarCreator.Setup(x => x.Create(It.IsAny<FileReRoute>())).Returns(_ht);
             _daCreator.Setup(x => x.Create(It.IsAny<FileReRoute>())).Returns(_dhp);
             _lboCreator.Setup(x => x.Create(It.IsAny<FileLoadBalancerOptions>())).Returns(_lbo);
+            _versionCreator.Setup(x => x.Create(It.IsAny<string>())).Returns(_expectedVersion);
         }
 
         private void ThenTheReRoutesAreCreated()
@@ -209,6 +216,7 @@
 
         private void ThenTheReRouteIsSet(FileReRoute expected, int reRouteIndex)
         {
+            _result[reRouteIndex].DownstreamReRoute[0].DownstreamHttpVersion.ShouldBe(_expectedVersion);
             _result[reRouteIndex].DownstreamReRoute[0].IsAuthenticated.ShouldBe(_rro.IsAuthenticated);
             _result[reRouteIndex].DownstreamReRoute[0].IsAuthorised.ShouldBe(_rro.IsAuthorised);
             _result[reRouteIndex].DownstreamReRoute[0].IsCached.ShouldBe(_rro.IsCached);
diff --git a/test/Ocelot.UnitTests/Configuration/VersionCreatorTests.cs b/test/Ocelot.UnitTests/Configuration/VersionCreatorTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..346f62e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Ocelot.UnitTests/Configuration/VersionCreatorTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+namespace Ocelot.UnitTests.Configuration
+{
+    using Ocelot.Configuration.Creator;
+    using Shouldly;
+    using Xunit;
+
+    public class VersionCreatorTests
+    {
+        private readonly VersionCreator _creator;
+
+        public VersionCreatorTests()
+        {
+            _creator = new VersionCreator();
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void should_create_version_based_on_input()
+        {
+            var input = "2.0";
+            var result = _creator.Create(input);
+            result.Major.ShouldBe(2);
+            result.Minor.ShouldBe(0);
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void should_default_to_version_one_point_one()
+        {
+            var input = "";
+            var result = _creator.Create(input);
+            result.Major.ShouldBe(1);
+            result.Minor.ShouldBe(1);
+        }
+    }
+}