diff --git a/glance/api/v3/artifacts.py b/glance/api/v3/artifacts.py
index df50372f0e..88a9884c69 100644
--- a/glance/api/v3/artifacts.py
+++ b/glance/api/v3/artifacts.py
@@ -114,6 +114,13 @@ class ArtifactsController(object):
                     filter['value'] = self._get_latest_version(
                         req, filters['name'][0]['value'], type_name,
                         type_version)
+                else:
+                    try:
+                        semantic_version.Version(filter['value'], partial=True)
+                    except ValueError:
+                        msg = (_('The format of the version %s is not valid. '
+                                 'Use semver notation') % filter['value'])
+                        raise webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest(explanation=msg)
 
         res = artifact_repo.list(filters=filters,
                                  show_level=Showlevel.BASIC,
diff --git a/glance/tests/functional/artifacts/test_artifacts.py b/glance/tests/functional/artifacts/test_artifacts.py
index a697bcf4c3..b71b14a5c3 100644
--- a/glance/tests/functional/artifacts/test_artifacts.py
+++ b/glance/tests/functional/artifacts/test_artifacts.py
@@ -1956,3 +1956,12 @@ paste.filter_factory = glance.tests.utils:FakeAuthMiddleware.factory
         result = self._check_artifact_get(url=url)['artifacts']
 
         self.assertEqual(1, len(result))
+
+    def test_filter_by_bad_version(self):
+        bad_versions = ['kkk', '1.k', 'h.0', '1.3.hf', 's.9.2s2']
+        response_string = ('The format of the version %s is not valid. '
+                           'Use semver notation')
+        for bad_version in bad_versions:
+            url = '/withprops/v1.0/drafts?version=gt:%s' % bad_version
+            result = self._check_artifact_get(url=url, status=400)
+            self.assertIn(response_string % bad_version, result)