diff --git a/daml-lf/encoder/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/daml/lf/archive/testing/DamlLfEncoder.scala b/daml-lf/encoder/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/daml/lf/archive/testing/DamlLfEncoder.scala
index bcd12af5d326..012aec130b12 100644
--- a/daml-lf/encoder/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/daml/lf/archive/testing/DamlLfEncoder.scala
+++ b/daml-lf/encoder/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/daml/lf/archive/testing/DamlLfEncoder.scala
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import java.nio.file.Paths
 import com.daml.lf.archive.{Dar, DarWriter}
 import com.daml.lf.data.Ref
 import com.daml.lf.data.Ref.PackageId
-import com.daml.lf.language.{Ast, Interface, LanguageMajorVersion, LanguageVersion}
+import com.daml.lf.language.{Ast, Interface, LanguageVersion}
 import com.daml.lf.testing.parser.{ParserParameters, parseModules}
 import com.daml.lf.validation.Validation
 import com.daml.SdkVersion
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ private[daml] object DamlLfEncoder extends App {
       } else
         args(i) match {
           case "--target" if i + 1 < nAgrs =>
-            go(appArgs.copy(languageVersion = parseVersion(args(i + 1))), i + 2)
+            go(appArgs.copy(languageVersion = LanguageVersion.assertFromString(args(i + 1))), i + 2)
           case "--output" if i + 1 < nAgrs =>
             go(appArgs.copy(outputFile = args(i + 1)), i + 2)
           case _ if i + 1 >= nAgrs =>
@@ -127,15 +127,6 @@ private[daml] object DamlLfEncoder extends App {
     go()
   }
 
-  private def parseVersion(version: String) =
-    version.split("""\.""").toSeq match {
-      case Seq("1", minor)
-          if LanguageMajorVersion.V1.supportsMinorVersion(minor) || minor == "dev" =>
-        LanguageVersion(LanguageMajorVersion.V1, LanguageVersion.Minor(minor))
-      case _ =>
-        error(s"version '$version' not supported")
-    }
-
   main()
 
 }
diff --git a/daml-lf/language/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/daml/lf/language/LanguageVersion.scala b/daml-lf/language/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/daml/lf/language/LanguageVersion.scala
index 41fcaeb802e4..4c2b7d6ea467 100644
--- a/daml-lf/language/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/daml/lf/language/LanguageVersion.scala
+++ b/daml-lf/language/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/daml/lf/language/LanguageVersion.scala
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2021 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-package com.daml.lf.language
-
-import com.daml.lf.VersionRange
+package com.daml.lf
+package language
 
 final case class LanguageVersion(major: LanguageMajorVersion, minor: LanguageMinorVersion) {
   def pretty: String = s"${major.pretty}.${minor.toProtoIdentifier}"
@@ -17,6 +16,13 @@ object LanguageVersion {
   type Minor = LanguageMinorVersion
   val Minor = LanguageMinorVersion
 
+  private[this] def stringToVersions = All.iterator.map(v => v.pretty -> v).toMap
+
+  def fromString(s: String): Either[String, LanguageVersion] =
+    stringToVersions.get(s).toRight(s + " is not supported")
+
+  def assertFromString(s: String): LanguageVersion = data.assertRight(fromString(s))
+
   implicit val Ordering: scala.Ordering[LanguageVersion] = {
     case (LanguageVersion(Major.V1, leftMinor), LanguageVersion(Major.V1, rightMinor)) =>
       Major.V1.minorVersionOrdering.compare(leftMinor, rightMinor)