diff --git a/pkg/util/version/version.go b/pkg/util/version/version.go
index 327f2e67f4..e8cd0cecfa 100644
--- a/pkg/util/version/version.go
+++ b/pkg/util/version/version.go
@@ -121,11 +121,39 @@ func MustParseSemantic(str string) *Version {
 	return v
 }
 
+// Major returns the major release number
+func (v *Version) Major() uint {
+	return v.components[0]
+}
+
+// Minor returns the minor release number
+func (v *Version) Minor() uint {
+	return v.components[1]
+}
+
+// Patch returns the patch release number if v is a Semantic Version, or 0
+func (v *Version) Patch() uint {
+	if len(v.components) < 3 {
+		return 0
+	}
+	return v.components[2]
+}
+
 // BuildMetadata returns the build metadata, if v is a Semantic Version, or ""
 func (v *Version) BuildMetadata() string {
 	return v.buildMetadata
 }
 
+// PreRelease returns the prerelease metadata, if v is a Semantic Version, or ""
+func (v *Version) PreRelease() string {
+	return v.preRelease
+}
+
+// Components returns the version number components
+func (v *Version) Components() []uint {
+	return v.components
+}
+
 // String converts a Version back to a string; note that for versions parsed with
 // ParseGeneric, this will not include the trailing uninterpreted portion of the version
 // number.
diff --git a/pkg/util/version/version_test.go b/pkg/util/version/version_test.go
index 555c59b4b7..eb231b1e2b 100644
--- a/pkg/util/version/version_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/version/version_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package version
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -257,3 +258,75 @@ func TestBadGenericVersions(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestComponents(t *testing.T) {
+
+	var tests = []struct {
+		version               string
+		semver                bool
+		expectedComponents    []uint
+		expectedMajor         uint
+		expectedMinor         uint
+		expectedPatch         uint
+		expectedPreRelease    string
+		expectedBuildMetadata string
+	}{
+		{
+			version:            "1.0.2",
+			semver:             true,
+			expectedComponents: []uint{1, 0, 2},
+			expectedMajor:      1,
+			expectedMinor:      0,
+			expectedPatch:      2,
+		},
+		{
+			version:               "1.0.2-alpha+001",
+			semver:                true,
+			expectedComponents:    []uint{1, 0, 2},
+			expectedMajor:         1,
+			expectedMinor:         0,
+			expectedPatch:         2,
+			expectedPreRelease:    "alpha",
+			expectedBuildMetadata: "001",
+		},
+		{
+			version:            "1.2",
+			semver:             false,
+			expectedComponents: []uint{1, 2},
+			expectedMajor:      1,
+			expectedMinor:      2,
+		},
+		{
+			version:               "1.0.2-beta+exp.sha.5114f85",
+			semver:                true,
+			expectedComponents:    []uint{1, 0, 2},
+			expectedMajor:         1,
+			expectedMinor:         0,
+			expectedPatch:         2,
+			expectedPreRelease:    "beta",
+			expectedBuildMetadata: "exp.sha.5114f85",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		version, _ := parse(test.version, test.semver)
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(test.expectedComponents, version.Components()) {
+			t.Error("parse returned un'expected components")
+		}
+		if test.expectedMajor != version.Major() {
+			t.Errorf("parse returned version.Major %d, expected %d", test.expectedMajor, version.Major())
+		}
+		if test.expectedMinor != version.Minor() {
+			t.Errorf("parse returned version.Minor %d, expected %d", test.expectedMinor, version.Minor())
+		}
+		if test.expectedPatch != version.Patch() {
+			t.Errorf("parse returned version.Patch %d, expected %d", test.expectedPatch, version.Patch())
+		}
+		if test.expectedPreRelease != version.PreRelease() {
+			t.Errorf("parse returned version.PreRelease %s, expected %s", test.expectedPreRelease, version.PreRelease())
+		}
+		if test.expectedBuildMetadata != version.BuildMetadata() {
+			t.Errorf("parse returned version.BuildMetadata %s, expected %s", test.expectedBuildMetadata, version.BuildMetadata())
+		}
+	}
+}