diff --git a/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/jvm/JvmRuntimeVersionsConsistencyChecker.kt b/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/jvm/JvmRuntimeVersionsConsistencyChecker.kt
index f8b20389668..c150e4626d7 100644
--- a/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/jvm/JvmRuntimeVersionsConsistencyChecker.kt
+++ b/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/jvm/JvmRuntimeVersionsConsistencyChecker.kt
@@ -125,15 +125,19 @@ object JvmRuntimeVersionsConsistencyChecker {
 
         val consistency = checkCompilerClasspathConsistency(messageCollector, apiVersion, runtimeJarsInfo)
         if (consistency != ClasspathConsistency.Consistent) {
-            val extraHint =
-                    if (consistency == ClasspathConsistency.InconsistentWithApiVersion)
-                        "Remove them from the classpath or pass the correct '-api-version' explicitly. " +
-                        "You can also pass the '-language-version' instead, which will restrict not only the APIs " +
-                        "to the specified version, but also the language features. " +
-                        "Alternatively, you can use '-Xskip-runtime-version-check' to suppress this error"
-                    else
-                        "Remove them from the classpath or use '-Xskip-runtime-version-check' to suppress errors"
-            messageCollector.issue(null, "Some runtime JAR files in the classpath have an incompatible version. $extraHint")
+            val message = when (consistency) {
+                is ClasspathConsistency.InconsistentWithApiVersion ->
+                    "Runtime JAR files in the classpath have the version ${consistency.actualRuntimeVersion}, " +
+                    "which is older than the API version $apiVersion. " +
+                    "Remove them from the classpath or pass '-api-version ${consistency.actualRuntimeVersion}' explicitly. " +
+                    "You can also pass '-language-version ${consistency.actualRuntimeVersion}' instead, which will restrict " +
+                    "not only the APIs to the specified version, but also the language features. " +
+                    "Alternatively, you can use '-Xskip-runtime-version-check' to suppress this error"
+                else ->
+                    "Some runtime JAR files in the classpath have an incompatible version. " +
+                    "Remove them from the classpath or use '-Xskip-runtime-version-check' to suppress errors"
+            }
+            messageCollector.issue(null, message)
         }
 
         val librariesWithBundled = runtimeJarsInfo.otherLibrariesWithBundledRuntime
@@ -158,7 +162,7 @@ object JvmRuntimeVersionsConsistencyChecker {
 
     private sealed class ClasspathConsistency {
         object Consistent : ClasspathConsistency()
-        object InconsistentWithApiVersion : ClasspathConsistency()
+        class InconsistentWithApiVersion(val actualRuntimeVersion: MavenComparableVersion) : ClasspathConsistency()
         object InconsistentWithCompilerVersion : ClasspathConsistency()
         object InconsistentBecauseOfRuntimesWithDifferentVersions : ClasspathConsistency()
     }
@@ -176,13 +180,15 @@ object JvmRuntimeVersionsConsistencyChecker {
             checkNotNewerThanCompiler(messageCollector, it)
         }.any { it }) return ClasspathConsistency.InconsistentWithCompilerVersion
 
-        if (checkMatchingVersions(messageCollector, runtimeJarsInfo)) {
-            return ClasspathConsistency.InconsistentBecauseOfRuntimesWithDifferentVersions
-        }
+        val jars = runtimeJarsInfo.jars
+        if (jars.isEmpty()) return ClasspathConsistency.Consistent
 
-        if (runtimeJarsInfo.jars.map {
+        val runtimeVersion = checkMatchingVersionsAndGetRuntimeVersion(messageCollector, jars)
+                             ?: return ClasspathConsistency.InconsistentBecauseOfRuntimesWithDifferentVersions
+
+        if (jars.map {
             checkCompatibleWithApiVersion(messageCollector, it, apiVersion)
-        }.any { it }) return ClasspathConsistency.InconsistentWithApiVersion
+        }.any { it }) return ClasspathConsistency.InconsistentWithApiVersion(runtimeVersion)
 
         return ClasspathConsistency.Consistent
     }
@@ -205,21 +211,26 @@ object JvmRuntimeVersionsConsistencyChecker {
         return false
     }
 
-    private fun checkMatchingVersions(messageCollector: MessageCollector, runtimeJarsInfo: RuntimeJarsInfo): Boolean {
-        val oldestJar = runtimeJarsInfo.jars.minBy { it.version } ?: return false
-        val newestJar = runtimeJarsInfo.jars.maxBy { it.version } ?: return false
+    // Returns the version if it's the same across all jars, or null if versions of some jars differ.
+    private fun checkMatchingVersionsAndGetRuntimeVersion(
+            messageCollector: MessageCollector,
+            jars: List<KotlinLibraryFile>
+    ): MavenComparableVersion? {
+        assert(jars.isNotEmpty()) { "'jars' must not be empty" }
+        val oldestVersion = jars.minBy { it.version }!!.version
+        val newestVersion = jars.maxBy { it.version }!!.version
 
-        if (oldestJar.version != newestJar.version) {
-            messageCollector.issue(null, buildString {
-                appendln("Runtime JAR files in the classpath must have the same version. These files were found in the classpath:")
-                for (jar in runtimeJarsInfo.jars) {
-                    appendln("    ${jar.file.path} (version ${jar.version})")
-                }
-            }.trimEnd())
-            return true
-        }
+        // If the oldest version is the same as the newest version, then all jars have the same version
+        if (oldestVersion == newestVersion) return oldestVersion
 
-        return false
+        messageCollector.issue(null, buildString {
+            appendln("Runtime JAR files in the classpath must have the same version. These files were found in the classpath:")
+            for (jar in jars) {
+                appendln("    ${jar.file.path} (version ${jar.version})")
+            }
+        }.trimEnd())
+
+        return null
     }
 
     private fun MessageCollector.issue(file: VirtualFile?, message: String, severity: CompilerMessageSeverity = VERSION_ISSUE_SEVERITY) {