diff --git a/tests/integration/cli_test.py b/tests/integration/cli_test.py
index 78519d1418..19cc822ee1 100644
--- a/tests/integration/cli_test.py
+++ b/tests/integration/cli_test.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class CLITestCase(DockerClientTestCase):
         )
 
     def test_up_without_networking(self):
-        self.require_engine_version("1.9")
+        self.require_api_version('1.21')
 
         self.command.base_dir = 'tests/fixtures/links-composefile'
         self.command.dispatch(['up', '-d'], None)
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ class CLITestCase(DockerClientTestCase):
         self.assertTrue(web_container.get('HostConfig.Links'))
 
     def test_up_with_networking(self):
-        self.require_engine_version("1.9")
+        self.require_api_version('1.21')
 
         self.command.base_dir = 'tests/fixtures/links-composefile'
         self.command.dispatch(['--x-networking', 'up', '-d'], None)
diff --git a/tests/integration/project_test.py b/tests/integration/project_test.py
index ac0f121cf2..fd45b9393f 100644
--- a/tests/integration/project_test.py
+++ b/tests/integration/project_test.py
@@ -98,14 +98,14 @@ class ProjectTest(DockerClientTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(db._get_volumes_from(), [data_container.id + ':rw'])
 
     def test_get_network_does_not_exist(self):
-        self.require_engine_version("1.9")
+        self.require_api_version('1.21')
         client = docker_client(version='1.21')
 
         project = Project('composetest', [], client)
         assert project.get_network() is None
 
     def test_get_network(self):
-        self.require_engine_version("1.9")
+        self.require_api_version('1.21')
         client = docker_client(version='1.21')
 
         network_name = 'network_does_exist'
diff --git a/tests/integration/testcases.py b/tests/integration/testcases.py
index a412fb04fb..686a2b69a4 100644
--- a/tests/integration/testcases.py
+++ b/tests/integration/testcases.py
@@ -76,11 +76,7 @@ class DockerClientTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         build_output = self.client.build(*args, **kwargs)
         stream_output(build_output, open('/dev/null', 'w'))
 
-    def require_engine_version(self, minimum):
-        # Drop '-dev' or '-rcN' suffix
-        engine = self.client.version()['Version'].split('-', 1)[0]
-        if version_lt(engine, minimum):
-            skip(
-                "Engine version is too low ({} < {})"
-                .format(engine, minimum)
-            )
+    def require_api_version(self, minimum):
+        api_version = self.client.version()['ApiVersion']
+        if version_lt(api_version, minimum):
+            skip("API version is too low ({} < {})".format(api_version, minimum))