diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/__init__.py b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/__init__.py
index 5ef8a859274..cc47ae9bc29 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/__init__.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/__init__.py
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@
 try:
     from django.contrib.gis.gdal.driver import Driver
     from django.contrib.gis.gdal.datasource import DataSource
-    from django.contrib.gis.gdal.libgdal import gdal_version, gdal_full_version, gdal_release_date
+    from django.contrib.gis.gdal.libgdal import gdal_version, gdal_full_version, gdal_release_date, GEOJSON, GDAL_VERSION
     from django.contrib.gis.gdal.srs import SpatialReference, CoordTransform
-    from django.contrib.gis.gdal.geometries import OGRGeometry, GEOJSON
+    from django.contrib.gis.gdal.geometries import OGRGeometry
     HAS_GDAL = True
 except:
     HAS_GDAL, GEOJSON = False, False
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/libgdal.py b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/libgdal.py
index 92e3165680a..6589c5647c2 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/libgdal.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/libgdal.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import os, sys
+import os, re, sys
 from ctypes import c_char_p, CDLL
 from ctypes.util import find_library
 from django.contrib.gis.gdal.error import OGRException
@@ -81,3 +81,24 @@ def gdal_release_date(date=False):
     d = date_type(yy, mm, dd)
     if date: return d
     else: return d.strftime('%Y/%m/%d')
+
+version_regex = re.compile(r'^(?P<major>\d+)\.(?P<minor>\d+)(\.(?P<subminor>\d+))?')
+def gdal_version_info():
+    ver = gdal_version()
+    m = version_regex.match(ver)
+    if not m: raise OGRException('Could not parse GDAL version string "%s"' % ver)
+    return dict([(key, m.group(key)) for key in ('major', 'minor', 'subminor')])
+
+_verinfo = gdal_version_info()
+GDAL_MAJOR_VERSION = int(_verinfo['major'])
+GDAL_MINOR_VERSION = int(_verinfo['minor'])
+GDAL_SUBMINOR_VERSION = _verinfo['subminor'] and int(_verinfo['subminor'])
+GDAL_VERSION = (GDAL_MAJOR_VERSION, GDAL_MINOR_VERSION, GDAL_SUBMINOR_VERSION)
+del _verinfo
+
+# GeoJSON support is available only in GDAL 1.5+.
+if GDAL_VERSION >= (1, 5):
+    GEOJSON = True
+else:
+    GEOJSON = False
+
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/prototypes/geom.py b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/prototypes/geom.py
index e40f33e7455..e002590e31a 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/gdal/prototypes/geom.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/gdal/prototypes/geom.py
@@ -1,19 +1,13 @@
+import re
 from datetime import date
 from ctypes import c_char, c_char_p, c_double, c_int, c_ubyte, c_void_p, POINTER
 from django.contrib.gis.gdal.envelope import OGREnvelope
-from django.contrib.gis.gdal.libgdal import lgdal, gdal_version
+from django.contrib.gis.gdal.libgdal import lgdal, GEOJSON
 from django.contrib.gis.gdal.prototypes.errcheck import check_bool, check_envelope
 from django.contrib.gis.gdal.prototypes.generation import \
     const_string_output, double_output, geom_output, int_output, \
     srs_output, string_output, void_output
 
-# Some prototypes need to be aware of what version GDAL we have.
-major, minor = map(int, gdal_version().split('.')[:2])
-if major <= 1 and minor <= 4:
-    GEOJSON = False
-else:
-    GEOJSON = True
-
 ### Generation routines specific to this module ###
 def env_func(f, argtypes):
     "For getting OGREnvelopes."