diff --git a/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/include/libsnapshot/cow_format.h b/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/include/libsnapshot/cow_format.h
index 9f94699..b228dff 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/include/libsnapshot/cow_format.h
+++ b/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/include/libsnapshot/cow_format.h
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 
 static constexpr uint32_t kCowVersionManifest = 2;
 
+static constexpr uint32_t kMinCowVersion = 1;
+static constexpr uint32_t kMaxCowVersion = 2;
+
 // This header appears as the first sequence of bytes in the COW. All fields
 // in the layout are little-endian encoded. The on-disk layout is:
 //
diff --git a/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/include/libsnapshot/cow_writer.h b/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/include/libsnapshot/cow_writer.h
index 4151b01..8458517 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/include/libsnapshot/cow_writer.h
+++ b/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/include/libsnapshot/cow_writer.h
@@ -171,8 +171,6 @@
 
     uint64_t GetCowSize() override;
 
-    uint32_t GetCowVersion() { return header_.prefix.major_version; }
-
   protected:
     virtual bool EmitCopy(uint64_t new_block, uint64_t old_block, uint64_t num_blocks = 1) override;
     virtual bool EmitRawBlocks(uint64_t new_block_start, const void* data, size_t size) override;
diff --git a/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/snapshot.cpp b/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/snapshot.cpp
index 2661482..b0c4a83 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/snapshot.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/snapshot.cpp
@@ -3202,39 +3202,20 @@
     CHECK(current_metadata->GetBlockDevicePartitionName(0) == LP_METADATA_DEFAULT_PARTITION_NAME &&
           target_metadata->GetBlockDevicePartitionName(0) == LP_METADATA_DEFAULT_PARTITION_NAME);
 
-    std::map<std::string, SnapshotStatus> all_snapshot_status;
-
-    // In case of error, automatically delete devices that are created along the way.
-    // Note that "lock" is destroyed after "created_devices", so it is safe to use |lock| for
-    // these devices.
-    AutoDeviceList created_devices;
-
     const auto& dap_metadata = manifest.dynamic_partition_metadata();
-    CowOptions options;
-    CowWriter writer(options);
-    bool cow_format_support = true;
-    if (dap_metadata.cow_version() < writer.GetCowVersion()) {
-        cow_format_support = false;
-    }
-
-    LOG(INFO) << " dap_metadata.cow_version(): " << dap_metadata.cow_version()
-              << " writer.GetCowVersion(): " << writer.GetCowVersion();
-
-    // Deduce supported features.
-    bool userspace_snapshots = CanUseUserspaceSnapshots();
-    bool legacy_compression = GetLegacyCompressionEnabledProperty();
 
     std::string vabc_disable_reason;
     if (!dap_metadata.vabc_enabled()) {
         vabc_disable_reason = "not enabled metadata";
     } else if (device_->IsRecovery()) {
         vabc_disable_reason = "recovery";
-    } else if (!cow_format_support) {
-        vabc_disable_reason = "cow format not supported";
     } else if (!KernelSupportsCompressedSnapshots()) {
         vabc_disable_reason = "kernel missing userspace block device support";
     }
 
+    // Deduce supported features.
+    bool userspace_snapshots = CanUseUserspaceSnapshots();
+    bool legacy_compression = GetLegacyCompressionEnabledProperty();
     if (!vabc_disable_reason.empty()) {
         if (userspace_snapshots) {
             LOG(INFO) << "Userspace snapshots disabled: " << vabc_disable_reason;
@@ -3246,6 +3227,16 @@
         legacy_compression = false;
     }
 
+    if (legacy_compression || userspace_snapshots) {
+        if (dap_metadata.cow_version() < kMinCowVersion ||
+            dap_metadata.cow_version() > kMaxCowVersion) {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Manifest cow version is out of bounds (got: "
+                       << dap_metadata.cow_version() << ", min: " << kMinCowVersion
+                       << ", max: " << kMaxCowVersion << ")";
+            return Return::Error();
+        }
+    }
+
     const bool using_snapuserd = userspace_snapshots || legacy_compression;
     if (!using_snapuserd) {
         LOG(INFO) << "Using legacy Virtual A/B (dm-snapshot)";
@@ -3278,6 +3269,11 @@
         cow_creator.batched_writes = dap_metadata.vabc_feature_set().batch_writes();
     }
 
+    // In case of error, automatically delete devices that are created along the way.
+    // Note that "lock" is destroyed after "created_devices", so it is safe to use |lock| for
+    // these devices.
+    AutoDeviceList created_devices;
+    std::map<std::string, SnapshotStatus> all_snapshot_status;
     auto ret = CreateUpdateSnapshotsInternal(lock.get(), manifest, &cow_creator, &created_devices,
                                              &all_snapshot_status);
     if (!ret.is_ok()) {
diff --git a/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/snapshot_test.cpp b/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/snapshot_test.cpp
index 22731e7..f08f913 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/snapshot_test.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/libsnapshot/snapshot_test.cpp
@@ -2688,6 +2688,24 @@
     ASSERT_EQ(UpdateState::MergeCompleted, init->ProcessUpdateState());
 }
 
+TEST_F(SnapshotUpdateTest, BadCowVersion) {
+    if (!snapuserd_required_) {
+        GTEST_SKIP() << "VABC only";
+    }
+
+    ASSERT_TRUE(sm->BeginUpdate());
+
+    auto dynamic_partition_metadata = manifest_.mutable_dynamic_partition_metadata();
+    dynamic_partition_metadata->set_cow_version(kMinCowVersion - 1);
+    ASSERT_FALSE(sm->CreateUpdateSnapshots(manifest_));
+
+    dynamic_partition_metadata->set_cow_version(kMaxCowVersion + 1);
+    ASSERT_FALSE(sm->CreateUpdateSnapshots(manifest_));
+
+    dynamic_partition_metadata->set_cow_version(kMaxCowVersion);
+    ASSERT_TRUE(sm->CreateUpdateSnapshots(manifest_));
+}
+
 class FlashAfterUpdateTest : public SnapshotUpdateTest,
                              public WithParamInterface<std::tuple<uint32_t, bool>> {
   public: