diff --git a/octodns/provider/powerdns.py b/octodns/provider/powerdns.py
index bcb6980..98ab7be 100644
--- a/octodns/provider/powerdns.py
+++ b/octodns/provider/powerdns.py
@@ -183,7 +183,8 @@ class PowerDnsBaseProvider(BaseProvider):
             version = resp.json()['version']
             self.log.debug('powerdns_version: got version %s from server',
                            version)
-            self._powerdns_version = [int(p) for p in version.split('.')]
+            self._powerdns_version = [
+                int(p.split('-')[0]) for p in version.split('.')[:3]]
 
         return self._powerdns_version
 
diff --git a/tests/test_octodns_provider_powerdns.py b/tests/test_octodns_provider_powerdns.py
index c9b1d08..33b5e44 100644
--- a/tests/test_octodns_provider_powerdns.py
+++ b/tests/test_octodns_provider_powerdns.py
@@ -82,6 +82,20 @@ class TestPowerDnsProvider(TestCase):
             provider._powerdns_version = None
             self.assertNotEquals(provider.powerdns_version, [4, 1, 10])
 
+        # Test version detection with pre-releases
+        with requests_mock() as mock:
+            # Reset version, so detection will try again
+            provider._powerdns_version = None
+            mock.get('http://non.existent:8081/api/v1/servers/localhost',
+                     status_code=200, json={'version': "4.4.0-alpha1"})
+            self.assertEquals(provider.powerdns_version, [4, 4, 0])
+
+            provider._powerdns_version = None
+            mock.get('http://non.existent:8081/api/v1/servers/localhost',
+                     status_code=200,
+                     json={'version': "4.5.0-alpha0.435.master.gcb114252b"})
+            self.assertEquals(provider.powerdns_version, [4, 5, 0])
+
     def test_provider_version_config(self):
         provider = PowerDnsProvider('test', 'non.existent', 'api-key',
                                     nameserver_values=['8.8.8.8.',