diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/core/Version.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/core/Version.java
index 06e9e20..1c61a39 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/core/Version.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/core/Version.java
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
      * @return version descriptor
      */
     public static Version version(String string) {
-        String[] fields = string.split("[.-]");
+        String[] fields = string.split("[.-]", 4);
         checkArgument(fields.length >= 2, TOO_SHORT);
         return new Version(parseInt(fields[0]), parseInt(fields[1]),
                            fields.length >= 3 ? fields[2] : null,