diff --git a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
--- a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
         CreateBaseChainParams(CBaseChainParams::TESTNET);
 
     gArgs.AddArg("-?", _("This help message"), false, OptionsCategory::OPTIONS);
+    gArgs.AddArg("-version", "Print version and exit", false,
+                 OptionsCategory::OPTIONS);
     gArgs.AddArg("-conf=<file>",
                  strprintf(_("Specify configuration file (default: %s)"),
                            BITCOIN_CONF_FILENAME),
diff --git a/test/functional/interface_bitcoin_cli.py b/test/functional/interface_bitcoin_cli.py
--- a/test/functional/interface_bitcoin_cli.py
+++ b/test/functional/interface_bitcoin_cli.py
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
     def run_test(self):
         """Main test logic"""
 
+        cli_response = self.nodes[0].cli("-version").send_cli()
+        assert("Bitcoin ABC RPC client version" in cli_response)
+
         self.log.info(
             "Compare responses from gewalletinfo RPC and `bitcoin-cli getwalletinfo`")
         cli_response = self.nodes[0].cli.getwalletinfo()