diff --git a/openevsehttp/client.py b/openevsehttp/client.py
index 9901293..5daf0dc 100644
--- a/openevsehttp/client.py
+++ b/openevsehttp/client.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 import inspect
 import json
 import logging
-import re
 import threading
 from collections.abc import Callable, Mapping
 from typing import Any
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@
 from .managers import ManagersMixin
 from .properties import PropertiesMixin
 from .sensors import SensorsMixin
+from .utils import get_awesome_version
 from .websocket import (
     SIGNAL_CONNECTION_STATE,
     STATE_CONNECTED,
@@ -441,38 +441,18 @@ def _version_check(self, min_version: str, max_version: str = "") -> bool:
             _LOGGER.warning("Unable to find firmware version.")
             return False
         cutoff = AwesomeVersion(min_version)
-        current = ""
         limit = ""
         if max_version != "":
             limit = AwesomeVersion(max_version)
 
-        firmware_filtered = None
-        firmware_search = re.search(r"\d+\.\d+\.\d+", self._config["version"])
-        if firmware_search:
-            firmware_filtered = firmware_search.group(0)
-
-        if firmware_filtered is None:
+        current = get_awesome_version(self._config["version"])
+        if current.strategy == "unknown":
             _LOGGER.warning(
                 "Non-standard versioning string: %s", self._config["version"]
             )
             _LOGGER.debug("Non-semver firmware version detected.")
             return False
 
-        _LOGGER.debug("Detected firmware: %s", self._config["version"])
-        _LOGGER.debug("Filtered firmware: %s", firmware_filtered)
-
-        if "dev" in self._config["version"]:
-            value = self._config["version"]
-            _LOGGER.debug("Stripping 'dev' from version.")
-            value = value.split(".")
-            value = ".".join(value[0:3])
-        elif "master" in self._config["version"]:
-            value = "dev"
-        else:
-            value = firmware_filtered
-
-        current = AwesomeVersion(value)
-
         if limit:
             try:
                 if cutoff <= current < limit:
diff --git a/openevsehttp/commands.py b/openevsehttp/commands.py
index 4ff0e65..b3283c9 100644
--- a/openevsehttp/commands.py
+++ b/openevsehttp/commands.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 from .const import MAX_AMPS, MIN_AMPS, RAPI_ERRORS, divert_mode
 from .exceptions import UnknownError, UnsupportedFeature
+from .utils import get_awesome_version
 
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -364,22 +365,10 @@ async def firmware_check(self) -> dict | None:
         method = "get"
 
         cutoff = AwesomeVersion("3.0.0")
-        current = ""
-
         _LOGGER.debug("Detected firmware: %s", self._config["version"])
 
-        if "dev" in self._config["version"]:
-            value = self._config["version"]
-            _LOGGER.debug("Stripping 'dev' from version.")
-            value = value.split(".")
-            value = ".".join(value[0:3])
-        elif "master" in self._config["version"]:
-            value = "dev"
-        else:
-            value = self._config["version"]
-
-        _LOGGER.debug("Using version: %s", value)
-        current = AwesomeVersion(value)
+        current = get_awesome_version(self._config["version"])
+        _LOGGER.debug("Using version: %s", current)
 
         try:
             if current >= cutoff:
diff --git a/openevsehttp/properties.py b/openevsehttp/properties.py
index a658f34..3025397 100644
--- a/openevsehttp/properties.py
+++ b/openevsehttp/properties.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 from .const import MAX_AMPS, MIN_AMPS, states
 from .exceptions import UnsupportedFeature
+from .utils import normalize_version
 
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -130,10 +131,8 @@ def max_current(self) -> int | None:
     def wifi_firmware(self) -> str | None:
         """Return the ESP firmware version."""
         value = self._config.get("version")
-        if value is not None and "dev" in value:
-            _LOGGER.debug("Stripping 'dev' from version.")
-            value = value.split(".")
-            value = ".".join(value[0:3])
+        if value is not None:
+            value = normalize_version(value)
         return value
 
     @property
diff --git a/openevsehttp/utils.py b/openevsehttp/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c8e30d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openevsehttp/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Utility functions for python-openevse-http."""
+
+import logging
+import re
+
+from awesomeversion import AwesomeVersion
+
+_LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def normalize_version(version: str) -> str:
+    """Normalize the version string to strip 'dev' tag."""
+    if "dev" in version:
+        _LOGGER.debug("Stripping 'dev' from version.")
+        value = version.split(".")
+        return ".".join(value[0:3])
+    return version
+
+
+def get_awesome_version(version: str) -> AwesomeVersion:
+    """Parse and normalize the version string, returning an AwesomeVersion."""
+    if "master" in version:
+        version = "dev"
+    value = normalize_version(version)
+    if "dev" not in version:
+        firmware_search = re.search(r"\d+\.\d+\.\d+", value)
+        if firmware_search:
+            value = firmware_search.group(0)
+    return AwesomeVersion(value)