diff --git a/build/registry/pkg/common/consts.go b/build/registry/pkg/common/consts.go
index 6034b1dd..3441c619 100644
--- a/build/registry/pkg/common/consts.go
+++ b/build/registry/pkg/common/consts.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const (
 	RulesArtifactSuffix = "-rules"
 	// EngineVersionKey is the name given to all the engine requirements.
 	// The same name used by Falco when outputting the engine version.
-	EngineVersionKey = "engine_version"
+	EngineVersionKey = "engine_version_semver"
 	// PluginAPIVersion is the name givet to the plugin api version requirements.
 	// The same name used by Falco when outputting the plugin api version
 	PluginAPIVersion = "plugin_api_version"
diff --git a/build/registry/pkg/oci/requirements.go b/build/registry/pkg/oci/requirements.go
index b605ef43..f1925060 100644
--- a/build/registry/pkg/oci/requirements.go
+++ b/build/registry/pkg/oci/requirements.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/blang/semver"
@@ -65,15 +64,25 @@ func rulesfileRequirement(filePath string) (*oci.ArtifactRequirement, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Split the requirement and parse the version to semVer.
+	// In case the requirement was expressed as a numeric value,
+	// we convert it to semver and treat it as minor version.
 	tokens := strings.Split(fileScanner.Text(), ":")
-	reqVer, err := semver.ParseTolerant(tokens[1])
+	reqVer, err := semver.Parse(tokens[1])
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse to semVer the version requirement %q", tokens[1])
+		reqVer, err = semver.ParseTolerant(tokens[1])
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse requirement %q: expected a numeric value or a valid semver string", tokens[1])
+		}
+		reqVer = semver.Version{
+			Major: 0,
+			Minor: reqVer.Major,
+			Patch: 0,
+		}
 	}
 
 	return &oci.ArtifactRequirement{
 		Name:    common.EngineVersionKey,
-		Version: strconv.FormatUint(reqVer.Major, 10),
+		Version: reqVer.String(),
 	}, nil
 }