diff --git a/packages/host/src/Host.ts b/packages/host/src/Host.ts
index ae5cf861..491989d5 100644
--- a/packages/host/src/Host.ts
+++ b/packages/host/src/Host.ts
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ export default class Host extends lib.Link {
 				instanceId,
 				instanceConnection ? instanceConnection.instance.status : "stopped",
 				instanceConnection ? instanceConnection.instance.server.gamePort : this.gamePort(instanceId),
-				instanceConnection ? instanceConnection.instance.server.version ?? undefined : undefined,
+				instanceConnection ? instanceConnection.instance.server.version : undefined,
 			)
 		);
 
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ export default class Host extends lib.Link {
 				instanceInfo.config.toRemote("controller"),
 				instanceConnection ? instanceConnection.instance.status : "stopped",
 				instanceConnection ? instanceConnection.instance.server.gamePort : this.gamePort(instanceId),
-				instanceConnection ? instanceConnection.instance.server.version ?? undefined : undefined,
+				instanceConnection ? instanceConnection.instance.server.version : undefined,
 			));
 		}
 		await this.send(new lib.InstancesUpdateRequest(list));
diff --git a/packages/host/src/Instance.ts b/packages/host/src/Instance.ts
index a31d7b73..5bd1b9ac 100644
--- a/packages/host/src/Instance.ts
+++ b/packages/host/src/Instance.ts
@@ -453,8 +453,7 @@ rcon.print(game.table_to_json(players))`.replace(/\r?\n/g, " ");
 				this.id,
 				status,
 				this.server.gamePort,
-				// server.version can be null before server is initialized
-				this.server.version ?? undefined,
+				this.server.version,
 			),
 		);
 	}
diff --git a/packages/host/src/export.ts b/packages/host/src/export.ts
index 530f8fc9..f5f83528 100644
--- a/packages/host/src/export.ts
+++ b/packages/host/src/export.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ async function generateExportMod(server: FactorioServer) {
 		sourceDir: path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "..", "lua", "export"),
 		outputDir: server.writePath("mods"),
 		bumpPatch: false,
-		factorioVersion: server.version.replace(/\.\d+$/, ""),
+		factorioVersion: server.version?.replace(/\.\d+$/, ""),
 		dependencies,
 	});
 }
diff --git a/packages/host/src/server.ts b/packages/host/src/server.ts
index e61f91c0..f58d476b 100644
--- a/packages/host/src/server.ts
+++ b/packages/host/src/server.ts
@@ -725,12 +725,12 @@ export class FactorioServer extends events.EventEmitter {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * The version of Factorio in use.  This will be the actual version if
-	 * "latest" (the default) was specified as `factorioVersion` to the
-	 * constructor.
+	 * The version of Factorio in use. This will be the actual version if
+	 * "latest" (the default) was specified as `factorioVersion` to the constructor.
+	 * This will be undefined before the server is initialized, or if init failed.
 	 */
-	get version() {
-		return this._version!;
+	get version(): string | undefined {
+		return this._version ?? undefined;
 	}
 
 	/**