diff --git a/qcodes/dataset/sqlite_base.py b/qcodes/dataset/sqlite_base.py
index 7edf3ef91f3..2dde25d5f9e 100644
--- a/qcodes/dataset/sqlite_base.py
+++ b/qcodes/dataset/sqlite_base.py
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@
 VALUE = Union[str, Number, List, ndarray, bool]
 VALUES = List[VALUE]
 
+
+# Functions decorated as 'upgrader' are inserted into this dict
+# The newest database version is thus determined by the number of upgrades
+# in this module
+# The key is the TARGET VERSION of the upgrade, i.e. the first key is 1
+_UPGRADE_ACTIONS: Dict[int, Callable] = {}
+
+
 _experiment_table_schema = """
 CREATE  TABLE IF NOT EXISTS experiments (
     -- this will autoncrement by default if
@@ -172,6 +180,8 @@ def do_upgrade(conn: SomeConnection) -> None:
         log.info(f'Succesfully performed upgrade {from_version} '
                  f'-> {to_version}')
 
+    _UPGRADE_ACTIONS[to_version] = do_upgrade
+
     return do_upgrade
 
 
@@ -354,16 +364,14 @@ def perform_db_upgrade(conn: SomeConnection, version: int=-1) -> None:
           'newest version'
     """
 
-    upgrade_actions = [perform_db_upgrade_0_to_1, perform_db_upgrade_1_to_2,
-                       perform_db_upgrade_2_to_3]
-    newest_version = len(upgrade_actions)
+    newest_version = len(_UPGRADE_ACTIONS)
     version = newest_version if version == -1 else version
 
     current_version = get_user_version(conn)
-    if current_version < newest_version:
+    if current_version < version:
         log.info("Commencing database upgrade")
-        for action in upgrade_actions[:version]:
-            action(conn)
+        for target_version in sorted(_UPGRADE_ACTIONS)[:version]:
+            _UPGRADE_ACTIONS[target_version](conn)
 
 
 @upgrader
@@ -684,6 +692,25 @@ def perform_db_upgrade_2_to_3(conn: SomeConnection) -> None:
             log.debug(f"Upgrade in transition, run number {run_id}: OK")
 
 
+def get_db_version_and_newest_available_version(path_to_db: str) -> Tuple[int,
+                                                                          int]:
+    """
+    Connect to a DB without performing any upgrades and get the version of
+    that database file along with the newest available version (the one that
+    a normal "connect" will automatically upgrade to)
+
+    Args:
+        path_to_db: the absolute path to the DB file
+
+    Returns:
+        A tuple of (db_version, latest_available_version)
+    """
+    conn = connect(path_to_db, version=0)
+    db_version = get_user_version(conn)
+
+    return (db_version, len(_UPGRADE_ACTIONS))
+
+
 def transaction(conn: SomeConnection,
                 sql: str, *args: Any) -> sqlite3.Cursor:
     """Perform a transaction.
diff --git a/qcodes/tests/dataset/test_database_creation_and_upgrading.py b/qcodes/tests/dataset/test_database_creation_and_upgrading.py
index 71b77b06180..9bc668239fa 100644
--- a/qcodes/tests/dataset/test_database_creation_and_upgrading.py
+++ b/qcodes/tests/dataset/test_database_creation_and_upgrading.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from qcodes.dataset.sqlite_base import (connect,
                                         one,
                                         update_GUIDs,
+                                        get_db_version_and_newest_available_version,
                                         get_user_version,
                                         atomic_transaction,
                                         perform_db_upgrade_0_to_1,
@@ -358,3 +359,20 @@ def test_update_existing_guids(caplog):
         guid_comps_5 = parse_guid(ds5.guid)
         assert guid_comps_5['location'] == old_loc
         assert guid_comps_5['work_station'] == old_ws
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('version', [0, 1, 2])
+def test_getting_db_version(version):
+
+    fixpath = os.path.join(fixturepath, 'db_files', f'version{version}')
+
+    if not os.path.exists(fixpath):
+        pytest.skip("No db-file fixtures found. You can generate test db-files"
+                    " using the scripts in the legacy_DB_generation folder")
+
+    dbname = os.path.join(fixpath, 'empty.db')
+
+    (db_v, new_v) = get_db_version_and_newest_available_version(dbname)
+
+    assert db_v == version
+    assert new_v == 3