diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/dbconst.py b/gramps/gen/db/dbconst.py
index 90cb19b17..54e392dc4 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/dbconst.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/dbconst.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ __all__ = (
             ('DBPAGE', 'DBMODE', 'DBCACHE', 'DBLOCKS', 'DBOBJECTS', 'DBUNDO',
              'DBEXT', 'DBMODE_R', 'DBMODE_W', 'DBUNDOFN', 'DBLOCKFN',
              'DBRECOVFN','BDBVERSFN', 'DBLOGNAME', 'DBFLAGS_O',  'DBFLAGS_R',
-             'DBFLAGS_D',
+             'DBFLAGS_D', 'SCHVERSFN'
             ) +
             
             ('PERSON_KEY', 'FAMILY_KEY', 'SOURCE_KEY', 'CITATION_KEY',
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ DBUNDOFN  = "undo.db"       # File name of 'undo' database
 DBLOCKFN  = "lock"          # File name of lock file
 DBRECOVFN = "need_recover"  # File name of recovery file
 BDBVERSFN = "bdbversion.txt"# File name of Berkeley DB version file
+SCHVERSFN = "schemaversion.txt"# File name of schema version file
 DBLOGNAME = ".Db"           # Name of logger
 DBMODE_R  = "r"             # Read-only access
 DBMODE_W  = "w"             # Full Read/Write access
diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/write.py b/gramps/gen/db/write.py
index 2b6461c48..6d5a463dc 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/write.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/write.py
@@ -600,6 +600,18 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
         
         self.__check_python_version(name, force_python_upgrade)
 
+        # Check for schema upgrade
+        versionpath = os.path.join(self.path, SCHVERSFN)
+        if os.path.isfile(versionpath):
+            with open(versionpath, "r") as version_file:
+                schema_version = int(version_file.read().strip())
+        else:
+            schema_version = 0
+        if not self.readonly and schema_version < _DBVERSION and \
+                                 force_schema_upgrade:
+            _LOG.debug("Make backup in case there is a schema upgrade")
+            self.__make_zip_backup(name)
+
         # Set up database environment
         self.env = db.DBEnv()
         self.env.set_cachesize(0, DBCACHE)
@@ -710,7 +722,7 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
                     if isinstance(version, UNITYPE):
                         version = version.encode('utf-8')
                 version_file.write(version)
-            _LOG.debug("Updated BDBVERSFN file to %s" % str(db.version()))
+            _LOG.debug("Updated bsddb version file to %s" % str(db.version()))
 
         if self.update_python_version:
             versionpath = os.path.join(name, "pythonversion.txt")
@@ -718,9 +730,9 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
             if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
                 if isinstance(version, UNITYPE):
                     version = version.encode('utf-8')
-            _LOG.debug("Updated python version file to %s" % version)
             with open(versionpath, "w") as version_file:
                 version_file.write(version)
+            _LOG.debug("Updated python version file to %s" % version)
             
         # Here we take care of any changes in the tables related to new code.
         # If secondary indices change, then they should removed
@@ -733,6 +745,14 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
                        (oldschema, newschema))
             if force_schema_upgrade == True:
                 self.gramps_upgrade(callback)
+                versionpath = os.path.join(name, SCHVERSFN)
+                version = str(_DBVERSION)
+                if sys.version_info[0] <3:
+                    if isinstance(version, UNITYPE):
+                        version = version.encode('utf-8')
+                with open(versionpath, "w") as version_file:
+                    version_file.write(version)
+                _LOG.debug("Updated schema version file to %s" % version)
             else:
                 self.__close_early()
                 clear_lock_file(name)
@@ -2231,6 +2251,15 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
         with open(versionpath, "w") as version_file:
             version_file.write(version)
 
+        versionpath = os.path.join(name, SCHVERSFN)
+        version = str(_DBVERSION)
+        if sys.version_info[0] <3:
+            if isinstance(version, UNITYPE):
+                version = version.encode('utf-8')
+        _LOG.debug("Write schema version file to %s" % version)
+        with open(versionpath, "w") as version_file:
+            version_file.write(version)
+
         self.metadata.close()
         self.env.close()