diff --git a/mesonbuild/mesonlib.py b/mesonbuild/mesonlib.py
index 1c63f17dc..b117cf56f 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mesonlib.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mesonlib.py
@@ -391,19 +391,6 @@ def detect_vcs(source_dir):
                 return vcs
     return None
 
-def grab_leading_numbers(vstr, strict=False):
-    result = []
-    for x in vstr.rstrip('.').split('.'):
-        try:
-            result.append(int(x))
-        except ValueError as e:
-            if strict:
-                msg = 'Invalid version to compare against: {!r}; only ' \
-                      'numeric digits separated by "." are allowed: ' + str(e)
-                raise MesonException(msg.format(vstr))
-            break
-    return result
-
 # a helper class which implements the same version ordering as RPM
 @functools.total_ordering
 class Version:
diff --git a/run_unittests.py b/run_unittests.py
index 720e09c12..95784d2b1 100755
--- a/run_unittests.py
+++ b/run_unittests.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ from mesonbuild.interpreter import Interpreter, ObjectHolder
 from mesonbuild.mesonlib import (
     is_windows, is_osx, is_cygwin, is_dragonflybsd, is_openbsd,
     windows_proof_rmtree, python_command, version_compare,
-    grab_leading_numbers, BuildDirLock
+    BuildDirLock
 )
 from mesonbuild.environment import detect_ninja
 from mesonbuild.mesonlib import MesonException, EnvironmentException
@@ -2663,7 +2663,7 @@ class FailureTests(BasePlatformTests):
         super().tearDown()
         windows_proof_rmtree(self.srcdir)
 
-    def assertMesonRaises(self, contents, match, extra_args=None, langs=None):
+    def assertMesonRaises(self, contents, match, extra_args=None, langs=None, meson_version=None):
         '''
         Assert that running meson configure on the specified @contents raises
         a error message matching regex @match.
@@ -2671,7 +2671,10 @@ class FailureTests(BasePlatformTests):
         if langs is None:
             langs = []
         with open(self.mbuild, 'w') as f:
-            f.write("project('failure test', 'c', 'cpp')\n")
+            f.write("project('failure test', 'c', 'cpp'")
+            if meson_version:
+                f.write(", meson_version: '{}'".format(meson_version))
+            f.write(")\n")
             for lang in langs:
                 f.write("add_languages('{}', required : false)\n".format(lang))
             f.write(contents)
@@ -2681,13 +2684,14 @@ class FailureTests(BasePlatformTests):
             # Must run in-process or we'll get a generic CalledProcessError
             self.init(self.srcdir, extra_args=extra_args, inprocess=True)
 
-    def obtainMesonOutput(self, contents, match, extra_args, langs, meson_version):
+    def obtainMesonOutput(self, contents, match, extra_args, langs, meson_version=None):
         if langs is None:
             langs = []
         with open(self.mbuild, 'w') as f:
-            core_version = '.'.join([str(component) for component in grab_leading_numbers(mesonbuild.coredata.version)])
-            meson_version = meson_version or core_version
-            f.write("project('output test', 'c', 'cpp', meson_version: '{}')\n".format(meson_version))
+            f.write("project('output test', 'c', 'cpp'")
+            if meson_version:
+                f.write(", meson_version: '{}'".format(meson_version))
+            f.write(")\n")
             for lang in langs:
                 f.write("add_languages('{}', required : false)\n".format(lang))
             f.write(contents)