diff --git a/tuf/api/metadata.py b/tuf/api/metadata.py
index 12d294c9f3..9762c4f4c6 100644
--- a/tuf/api/metadata.py
+++ b/tuf/api/metadata.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 from securesystemslib.util import persist_temp_file
 
 from tuf import exceptions
+from tuf.api import SPECIFICATION_VERSION
 from tuf.api.serialization import (
     MetadataDeserializer,
     MetadataSerializer,
@@ -290,6 +291,16 @@ def __init__(
         expires: datetime,
         unrecognized_fields: Optional[Mapping[str, Any]] = None,
     ) -> None:
+        spec_list = spec_version.split(".")
+        if (
+            len(spec_list) != 3
+            or not all(el.isdigit() for el in spec_list)
+            or spec_list[0] != SPECIFICATION_VERSION[0]
+        ):
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Unsupported spec_version, got {spec_list}, "
+                f"supported {'.'.join(SPECIFICATION_VERSION)}"
+            )
         self.spec_version = spec_version
         self.expires = expires