diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index e43aa30d..4d2a110e 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ Noteworthy changes in version 1.7.2 (unreleased)
  gpgme_query_swdb_result_t       NEW.
  qt: DN                          NEW.
  qt: DN::Attribute               NEW.
+ cpp: EngineInfo::Version::Version(const char*) NEW.
+ cpp: EngineInfo::Version::Version()            NEW.
 
 
 Noteworthy changes in version 1.7.1 (2016-10-18)
diff --git a/lang/cpp/src/engineinfo.h b/lang/cpp/src/engineinfo.h
index 72e125c3..aa6fccaf 100644
--- a/lang/cpp/src/engineinfo.h
+++ b/lang/cpp/src/engineinfo.h
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ public:
     struct Version
     {
         int major, minor, patch;
+        Version()
+        {
+          major = 0;
+          minor = 0;
+          patch = 0;
+        }
 
         Version(const std::string& version)
         {
@@ -51,6 +57,16 @@ public:
             }
         }
 
+        Version(const char *version)
+        {
+            if (!version ||
+                std::sscanf(version, "%d.%d.%d", &major, &minor, &patch) != 3) {
+                major = 0;
+                minor = 0;
+                patch = 0;
+            }
+        }
+
         bool operator < (const Version& other)
         {
             if (major < other.major)