diff --git a/parso/grammar.py b/parso/grammar.py
index a92faa5..22f04f6 100644
--- a/parso/grammar.py
+++ b/parso/grammar.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import os
 
 from parso._compatibility import FileNotFoundError
 from parso.pgen2.pgen import generate_grammar
-from parso.utils import splitlines, source_to_unicode, version_string_to_int
+from parso.utils import splitlines, source_to_unicode, parse_version_string
 from parso.python.diff import DiffParser
 from parso.python.tokenize import tokenize_lines, tokenize
 from parso.cache import parser_cache, load_module, save_module
@@ -127,14 +127,14 @@ class Grammar(object):
 
 
 class PythonGrammar(Grammar):
-    def __init__(self, version_int, bnf_text):
+    def __init__(self, version_info, bnf_text):
         super(PythonGrammar, self).__init__(
             bnf_text,
             tokenizer=self._tokenize_lines,
             parser=PythonParser,
             diff_parser=DiffParser
         )
-        self._version_int = version_int
+        self._version_int = version_info
 
     def _tokenize_lines(self, lines):
         return tokenize_lines(lines, self._version_int)
@@ -152,16 +152,16 @@ def load_grammar(**kwargs):
     `version='3.3'`.
     """
     def load_grammar(version=None):
-        version_int = version_string_to_int(version)
+        version_info = parse_version_string(version)
 
         # For these versions we use the same grammar files, because nothing
         # changed.
-        if version_int == 33:
-            version_int = 34
-        elif version_int == 26:
-            version_int = 27
+        if version_info == (3, 3):
+            version_info = parse_version_string('3.4')
+        elif version_info == (2, 6):
+            version_info = parse_version_string('2.7')
 
-        file = 'python/grammar' + str(version_int) + '.txt'
+        file = 'python/grammar%s%s.txt' % (version_info.major, version_info.minor)
 
         global _loaded_grammars
         path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), file)
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ def load_grammar(**kwargs):
                 with open(path) as f:
                     bnf_text = f.read()
 
-                grammar = PythonGrammar(version_int, bnf_text)
+                grammar = PythonGrammar(version_info, bnf_text)
                 return _loaded_grammars.setdefault(path, grammar)
             except FileNotFoundError:
                 message = "Python version %s is currently not supported." % version
diff --git a/parso/pgen2/pgen.py b/parso/pgen2/pgen.py
index 029466d..fe92bca 100644
--- a/parso/pgen2/pgen.py
+++ b/parso/pgen2/pgen.py
@@ -8,12 +8,16 @@
 from parso.pgen2 import grammar
 from parso.python import token
 from parso.python import tokenize
+from parso.utils import parse_version_string
 
 
 class ParserGenerator(object):
     def __init__(self, bnf_text):
         self._bnf_text = bnf_text
-        self.generator = tokenize.tokenize(bnf_text, version_int=36)
+        self.generator = tokenize.tokenize(
+            bnf_text,
+            version_info=parse_version_string('3.6')
+        )
         self._gettoken()  # Initialize lookahead
         self.dfas, self.startsymbol = self._parse()
         self.first = {}  # map from symbol name to set of tokens
diff --git a/parso/python/tokenize.py b/parso/python/tokenize.py
index a98f28b..5895729 100644
--- a/parso/python/tokenize.py
+++ b/parso/python/tokenize.py
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ def maybe(*choices):
 
 
 # Return the empty string, plus all of the valid string prefixes.
-def _all_string_prefixes(version_int):
+def _all_string_prefixes(version_info):
     # The valid string prefixes. Only contain the lower case versions,
     #  and don't contain any permuations (include 'fr', but not
     #  'rf'). The various permutations will be generated.
     _valid_string_prefixes = ['b', 'r', 'u', 'br']
-    if version_int >= 36:
+    if version_info >= (3, 6):
         _valid_string_prefixes += ['f', 'fr']
-    if version_int <= 27:
+    if version_info <= (2, 7):
         # TODO this is actually not 100% valid. ur is valid in Python 2.7,
         # while ru is not.
         _valid_string_prefixes.append('ur')
@@ -91,23 +91,23 @@ def _compile(expr):
     return re.compile(expr, re.UNICODE)
 
 
-def _get_token_collection(version_int):
+def _get_token_collection(version_info):
     try:
-        return _token_collection_cache[version_int]
+        return _token_collection_cache[tuple(version_info)]
     except KeyError:
-        _token_collection_cache[version_int] = result = \
-            _create_token_collection(version_int)
+        _token_collection_cache[tuple(version_info)] = result = \
+            _create_token_collection(version_info)
         return result
 
 
-def _create_token_collection(version_int):
+def _create_token_collection(version_info):
     # Note: we use unicode matching for names ("\w") but ascii matching for
     # number literals.
     Whitespace = r'[ \f\t]*'
     Comment = r'#[^\r\n]*'
     Name = r'\w+'
 
-    if version_int >= 36:
+    if version_info >= (3, 6):
         Hexnumber = r'0[xX](?:_?[0-9a-fA-F])+'
         Binnumber = r'0[bB](?:_?[01])+'
         Octnumber = r'0[oO](?:_?[0-7])+'
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ def _create_token_collection(version_int):
     else:
         Hexnumber = r'0[xX][0-9a-fA-F]+'
         Binnumber = r'0[bB][01]+'
-        if version_int >= 30:
+        if version_info >= (3, 0):
             Octnumber = r'0[oO][0-7]+'
         else:
             Octnumber = '0[oO]?[0-7]+'
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def _create_token_collection(version_int):
 
     # Note that since _all_string_prefixes includes the empty string,
     #  StringPrefix can be the empty string (making it optional).
-    possible_prefixes = _all_string_prefixes(version_int)
+    possible_prefixes = _all_string_prefixes(version_info)
     StringPrefix = group(*possible_prefixes)
 
     # Tail end of ' string.
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def _create_token_collection(version_int):
     Bracket = '[][(){}]'
 
     special_args = [r'\r?\n', r'[:;.,@]']
-    if version_int >= 30:
+    if version_info >= (3, 0):
         special_args.insert(0, r'\.\.\.')
     Special = group(*special_args)
 
@@ -233,13 +233,13 @@ class TokenInfo(namedtuple('Token', ['type', 'string', 'start_pos', 'prefix'])):
             return self.start_pos[0], self.start_pos[1] + len(self.string)
 
 
-def tokenize(code, version_int):
+def tokenize(code, version_info):
     """Generate tokens from a the source code (string)."""
     lines = splitlines(code, keepends=True)
-    return tokenize_lines(lines, version_int)
+    return tokenize_lines(lines, version_info)
 
 
-def tokenize_lines(lines, version_int):
+def tokenize_lines(lines, version_info):
     """
     A heavily modified Python standard library tokenizer.
 
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def tokenize_lines(lines, version_int):
     that is irrelevant for the parser like newlines in parentheses or comments.
     """
     pseudo_token, single_quoted, triple_quoted, endpats, always_break_tokens, = \
-        _get_token_collection(version_int)
+        _get_token_collection(version_info)
     paren_level = 0  # count parentheses
     indents = [0]
     max = 0
diff --git a/parso/utils.py b/parso/utils.py
index 5d2abc0..bfbb2a1 100644
--- a/parso/utils.py
+++ b/parso/utils.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ import re
 import sys
 from ast import literal_eval
 
-from parso._compatibility import unicode
+from parso._compatibility import unicode, total_ordering
+
+
+Version = namedtuple('Version', 'major, minor, micro')
 
 
 def splitlines(string, keepends=False):
@@ -82,7 +85,6 @@ def version_info():
     Returns a namedtuple of parso's version, similar to Python's
     ``sys.version_info``.
     """
-    Version = namedtuple('Version', 'major, minor, micro')
     from parso import __version__
     tupl = re.findall(r'[a-z]+|\d+', __version__)
     return Version(*[x if i == 3 else int(x) for i, x in enumerate(tupl)])
@@ -94,24 +96,48 @@ def _parse_version(version):
         raise ValueError('The given version is not in the right format. '
                          'Use something like "3.2" or "3".')
 
-    major = match.group(1)
+    major = int(match.group(1))
     minor = match.group(2)
     if minor is None:
         # Use the latest Python in case it's not exactly defined, because the
         # grammars are typically backwards compatible?
-        if major == "2":
+        if major == 2:
             minor = "7"
-        elif major == "3":
+        elif major == 3:
             minor = "6"
         else:
             raise NotImplementedError("Sorry, no support yet for those fancy new/old versions.")
-    return int(major + minor)
+    minor = int(minor)
+    return PythonVersionInfo(major, minor)
 
 
-def version_string_to_int(version=None):
+@total_ordering
+class PythonVersionInfo(namedtuple('Version', 'major, minor')):
+    def __gt__(self, other):
+        if isinstance(other, tuple):
+            if len(other) != 2:
+                raise ValueError("Can only compare to tuples of length 2.")
+            return (self.major, self.minor) > other
+        super(PythonVersionInfo, self).__gt__(other)
+
+        return (self.major, self.minor)
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        if isinstance(other, tuple):
+            if len(other) != 2:
+                raise ValueError("Can only compare to tuples of length 2.")
+            return (self.major, self.minor) == other
+        super(PythonVersionInfo, self).__eq__(other)
+
+    def __ne__(self, other):
+        return not self.__eq__(other)
+
+
+def parse_version_string(version=None):
     """
     Checks for a valid version number (e.g. `3.2` or `2.7.1` or `3`) and
-    returns a corresponding int that is always two characters long in decimal.
+    returns a corresponding version info that is always two characters long in
+    decimal.
     """
     if version is None:
         version = '%s.%s' % sys.version_info[:2]
diff --git a/test/test_load_grammar.py b/test/test_load_grammar.py
index 105dc7a..70dd807 100644
--- a/test/test_load_grammar.py
+++ b/test/test_load_grammar.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def test_load_inexisting_grammar():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(('string', 'result'), [
-    ('2', 27), ('3', 36), ('1.1', 11), ('1.1.1', 11), ('300.1.31', 3001)
+    ('2', (2, 7)), ('3', (3, 6)), ('1.1', (1, 1)), ('1.1.1', (1, 1)), ('300.1.31', (300, 1))
 ])
 def test_parse_version(string, result):
     assert utils._parse_version(string) == result
diff --git a/test/test_pgen2.py b/test/test_pgen2.py
index 9febd72..b967fd6 100644
--- a/test/test_pgen2.py
+++ b/test/test_pgen2.py
@@ -10,10 +10,9 @@ from textwrap import dedent
 
 import pytest
 
-from parso._compatibility import py_version
 from parso import load_grammar
 from parso import ParserSyntaxError
-from parso.utils import version_string_to_int
+from parso.utils import parse_version_string
 
 
 class Checker():
@@ -32,8 +31,8 @@ def works_in_py2(each_version):
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def works_ge_py3(each_version):
-    version_int = version_string_to_int(each_version)
-    return Checker(each_version, version_int >= 30)
+    version_info = parse_version_string(each_version)
+    return Checker(each_version, version_info >= (3, 0))
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -41,8 +40,8 @@ def works_ge_py35(each_version):
     """
     Works only greater equal Python 3.3.
     """
-    version_int = version_string_to_int(each_version)
-    return Checker(each_version, version_int >= 35)
+    version_info = parse_version_string(each_version)
+    return Checker(each_version, version_info >= (3, 5))
 
 
 def _parse(code, version=None):
diff --git a/test/test_tokenize.py b/test/test_tokenize.py
index 885dfff..f0101bb 100644
--- a/test/test_tokenize.py
+++ b/test/test_tokenize.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from textwrap import dedent
 import pytest
 
 from parso._compatibility import py_version
-from parso.utils import splitlines, version_string_to_int
+from parso.utils import splitlines, parse_version_string
 from parso.python.token import (
     NAME, NEWLINE, STRING, INDENT, DEDENT, ERRORTOKEN, ENDMARKER)
 from parso.python import tokenize
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ from parso.python.tokenize import TokenInfo
 
 def _get_token_list(string):
     # Load the current version.
-    version_int = version_string_to_int()
-    return list(tokenize.tokenize(string, version_int))
+    version_info = parse_version_string()
+    return list(tokenize.tokenize(string, version_info))
 
 
 def test_end_pos_one_line():