diff --git a/.github/workflows/version.yaml b/.github/workflows/version.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63a3fd4900
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/version.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Check that the version number format matches the current branch
+
+name: Version Numbering
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches-ignore:
+      - l10*
+
+  pull_request:
+    branches-ignore:
+      - l10*
+
+jobs:
+
+  check:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+  steps:
+      - name: Checkout Code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - name: Check version number
+        run: |
+          python3 ci/check_version_number.py --branch ${GITHUB_REF##*/}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ci/check_version_number.py b/ci/check_version_number.py
index 9b4d9f1a31..060dfb0654 100644
--- a/ci/check_version_number.py
+++ b/ci/check_version_number.py
@@ -30,9 +30,27 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser.add_argument('-t', '--tag', help='Compare against specified version tag', action='store')
     parser.add_argument('-r', '--release', help='Check that this is a release version', action='store_true')
     parser.add_argument('-d', '--dev', help='Check that this is a development version', action='store_true')
+    parser.add_argument('-b', '--branch', help='Check against a particular branch', action='store')
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    if args.branch:
+        """
+        Version number requirement depends on format of branch
+
+        'master': development branch
+        'stable': release branch
+        """
+
+        print(f"Checking version number for branch '{args.branch}'")
+
+        if args.branch == 'master':
+            print("Development branch")
+            args.dev = True
+        elif args.branch == 'stable':
+            print("Stable release branch")
+            args.release = True
+
     if args.dev:
         """
         Check that the current verrsion number matches the "development" format
@@ -59,6 +77,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
         if result is None:
             print(f"Version number '{version}' does not match required pattern for stable branch")
+            sys.exit(1)
 
     if args.tag:
         if not args.tag == version: