diff --git a/elasticsearch/helpers/test.py b/elasticsearch/helpers/test.py
index 39ddd21e..06dc86c6 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/helpers/test.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/helpers/test.py
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ def get_test_client(nowait=False):
         raise SkipTest("Elasticsearch failed to start.")
 
 def _get_version(version_string):
+    if '.' not in version_string:
+        return ()
     version = version_string.strip().split('.')
     return tuple(int(v) if v.isdigit() else 999 for v in version)
 
diff --git a/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py b/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
index 3f456634..49fbd5f7 100644
--- a/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
+++ b/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ class YamlTestCase(ElasticsearchTestCase):
         if 'version' in skip:
             version, reason = skip['version'], skip['reason']
             min_version, max_version = version.split('-')
-            min_version = _get_version(min_version)
-            max_version = _get_version(max_version)
+            min_version = _get_version(min_version) or (0, )
+            max_version = _get_version(max_version) or (999, )
             if  min_version <= self.es_version <= max_version:
                 raise SkipTest(reason)