diff --git a/activation.cpp b/activation.cpp
index 6b9dfb8..79b5b10 100644
--- a/activation.cpp
+++ b/activation.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "images.hpp"
 #include "item_updater.hpp"
+#include "msl_verify.hpp"
 #include "serialize.hpp"
 
 #include <phosphor-logging/elog-errors.hpp>
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
 #include <sdbusplus/exception.hpp>
 #include <xyz/openbmc_project/Common/error.hpp>
+#include <xyz/openbmc_project/Software/Version/error.hpp>
 
 #ifdef WANT_SIGNATURE_VERIFY
 #include "image_verify.hpp"
@@ -78,7 +80,6 @@
 
 auto Activation::activation(Activations value) -> Activations
 {
-
     if ((value != softwareServer::Activation::Activations::Active) &&
         (value != softwareServer::Activation::Activations::Activating))
     {
@@ -111,6 +112,24 @@
         }
 #endif
 
+        auto versionStr = parent.versions.find(versionId)->second->version();
+
+        if (!minimum_ship_level::verify(versionStr))
+        {
+            using namespace phosphor::logging;
+            using IncompatibleErr = sdbusplus::xyz::openbmc_project::Software::
+                Version::Error::Incompatible;
+            using Incompatible =
+                xyz::openbmc_project::Software::Version::Incompatible;
+
+            report<IncompatibleErr>(
+                prev_entry<Incompatible::MIN_VERSION>(),
+                prev_entry<Incompatible::ACTUAL_VERSION>(),
+                prev_entry<Incompatible::VERSION_PURPOSE>());
+            return softwareServer::Activation::activation(
+                softwareServer::Activation::Activations::Failed);
+        }
+
 #ifdef WANT_SIGNATURE_VERIFY
         fs::path uploadDir(IMG_UPLOAD_DIR);
         if (!verifySignature(uploadDir / versionId, SIGNED_IMAGE_CONF_PATH))
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 1923fb8..c74a927 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@
 conf.set_quoted('SIGNED_IMAGE_CONF_PATH', get_option('signed-image-conf-path'))
 conf.set_quoted('SYNC_LIST_DIR_PATH', get_option('sync-list-dir-path'))
 conf.set_quoted('SYNC_LIST_FILE_NAME', get_option('sync-list-file-name'))
+conf.set_quoted('BMC_MSL', get_option('bmc-msl'))
+conf.set_quoted('REGEX_BMC_MSL', get_option('regex-bmc-msl'))
+
 
 configure_file(output: 'config.h', configuration: conf)
 
@@ -108,7 +111,8 @@
     'item_updater_main.cpp',
     'serialize.cpp',
     'version.cpp',
-    'utils.cpp'
+    'utils.cpp',
+    'msl_verify.cpp'
 )
 
 if get_option('bmc-layout').contains('static')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index c0def0c..0043434 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -89,3 +89,15 @@
     value: 'synclist',
     description: 'The name of the sync list file.',
 )
+
+option(
+    'bmc-msl', type: 'string',
+    value: '',
+    description: 'The BMC minimum ship level.',
+)
+
+option(
+    'regex-bmc-msl', type: 'string',
+    value: '',
+    description: 'The Regular expression to parse the MSL.',
+)
diff --git a/msl_verify.cpp b/msl_verify.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3cd2278
--- /dev/null
+++ b/msl_verify.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "msl_verify.hpp"
+
+#include "version.hpp"
+
+#include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
+
+#include <regex>
+
+using namespace phosphor::logging;
+
+int minimum_ship_level::compare(const Version& versionToCompare,
+                                const Version& mslVersion)
+{
+    if (versionToCompare.major > mslVersion.major)
+        return (1);
+    if (versionToCompare.major < mslVersion.major)
+        return (-1);
+
+    if (versionToCompare.minor > mslVersion.minor)
+        return (1);
+    if (versionToCompare.minor < mslVersion.minor)
+        return (-1);
+
+    if (versionToCompare.rev > mslVersion.rev)
+        return (1);
+    if (versionToCompare.rev < mslVersion.rev)
+        return (-1);
+
+    // Both string are equal and there is no need to make an upgrade return 0.
+    return 0;
+}
+
+// parse Function copy  inpVersion onto outVersion in Version format
+// {major,minor,rev}.
+void minimum_ship_level::parse(const std::string& inpVersion,
+                               Version& outVersion)
+{
+    std::smatch match;
+    outVersion = {0, 0, 0};
+
+    std::regex rx{REGEX_BMC_MSL, std::regex::extended};
+
+    if (!std::regex_search(inpVersion, match, rx))
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Unable to parse BMC version",
+                        entry("VERSION=%s", inpVersion.c_str()));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    outVersion.major = std::stoi(match[2]);
+    outVersion.minor = std::stoi(match[3]);
+    outVersion.rev = std::stoi(match[4]);
+}
+
+bool minimum_ship_level::verify(const std::string& versionManifest)
+{
+
+    //  If there is no msl or mslRegex return upgrade is needed.
+    std::string msl{BMC_MSL};
+    std::string mslRegex{REGEX_BMC_MSL};
+    if (msl.empty() || mslRegex.empty())
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    // Define mslVersion variable and populate in Version format
+    // {major,minor,rev} using parse function.
+
+    Version mslVersion = {0, 0, 0};
+    parse(msl, mslVersion);
+
+    // Define actualVersion variable and populate in Version format
+    // {major,minor,rev} using parse function.
+    std::string tmpStr{};
+
+    tmpStr = versionManifest;
+    Version actualVersion = {0, 0, 0};
+    parse(versionManifest, actualVersion);
+
+    // Compare actualVersion vs MSL.
+    auto rc = compare(actualVersion, mslVersion);
+    if (rc < 0)
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>(
+            "BMC Minimum Ship Level NOT met",
+            entry("MIN_VERSION=%s", msl.c_str()),
+            entry("ACTUAL_VERSION=%s", tmpStr.c_str()),
+            entry("VERSION_PURPOSE=%s",
+                  "xyz.openbmc_project.Software.Version.VersionPurpose.BMC"));
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
diff --git a/msl_verify.hpp b/msl_verify.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9fd6695
--- /dev/null
+++ b/msl_verify.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <string>
+
+namespace minimum_ship_level
+{
+
+/** @brief Version components */
+struct Version
+{
+    uint8_t major;
+    uint8_t minor;
+    uint8_t rev;
+};
+
+/** @brief Verify if the current BMC version meets the min ship level
+ *  @return true if the verification succeeded, false otherwise
+ */
+bool verify(const std::string& versionStr);
+
+/** @brief Parse the version components into a struct
+ *  @details User passes a version string in regex format (REGEX_BMC_MSL)
+ *  at compilation time, this value is break down by parse function to allocate
+ *  a struct so it can be compared position by position against the (BMC_MSL)
+ *  also defined at compile time.
+ * @param[in]  versionStr - The version string to be parsed
+ * @param[out] version    - The version struct to be populated
+ */
+void parse(const std::string& versionStr, Version& version);
+
+/** @brief Compare the versions provided
+ *  @param[in] a - The first version to compare
+ *  @param[in] b - The second version to compare
+ *  @return 1 if a > b
+ *          0 if a = b
+ *         -1 if a < b
+ */
+int compare(const Version& a, const Version& b);
+
+} // namespace minimum_ship_level