diff --git a/doc/api/cli.md b/doc/api/cli.md
index 16bf8bcfb5cd37..bf6e435492943d 100644
--- a/doc/api/cli.md
+++ b/doc/api/cli.md
@@ -1185,6 +1185,15 @@ in the current working directory.
 When used without `--build-snapshot`, `--snapshot-blob` specifies the
 path to the blob that will be used to restore the application state.
 
+When loading a snapshot, Node.js checks that:
+
+1. The version, architecture and platform of the running Node.js binary
+   are exactly the same as that of the binary that generates the snapshot.
+2. The V8 flags and CPU features are compatible with that of the binary
+   that generates the snapshot.
+
+If they don't match, Node.js would refuse to load the snapshot and exit with 1.
+
 ### `--test`
 
 <!-- YAML
diff --git a/src/env.cc b/src/env.cc
index aabbf57341e3c8..ceb29b8c8eb3f5 100644
--- a/src/env.cc
+++ b/src/env.cc
@@ -265,6 +265,21 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& output,
   return output;
 }
 
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& output, const SnapshotMetadata& i) {
+  output << "{\n"
+         << "  "
+         << (i.type == SnapshotMetadata::Type::kDefault
+                 ? "SnapshotMetadata::Type::kDefault"
+                 : "SnapshotMetadata::Type::kFullyCustomized")
+         << ", // type\n"
+         << "  \"" << i.node_version << "\", // node_version\n"
+         << "  \"" << i.node_arch << "\", // node_arch\n"
+         << "  \"" << i.node_platform << "\", // node_platform\n"
+         << "  " << i.v8_cache_version_tag << ", // v8_cache_version_tag\n"
+         << "}";
+  return output;
+}
+
 IsolateDataSerializeInfo IsolateData::Serialize(SnapshotCreator* creator) {
   Isolate* isolate = creator->GetIsolate();
   IsolateDataSerializeInfo info;
diff --git a/src/env.h b/src/env.h
index 59dd7c8d9e1724..20e14f14e8bcf4 100644
--- a/src/env.h
+++ b/src/env.h
@@ -954,6 +954,19 @@ struct EnvSerializeInfo {
   friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const EnvSerializeInfo& i);
 };
 
+struct SnapshotMetadata {
+  // For now kFullyCustomized is only built with the --build-snapshot CLI flag.
+  // We might want to add more types of snapshots in the future.
+  enum class Type : uint8_t { kDefault, kFullyCustomized };
+
+  Type type;
+  std::string node_version;
+  std::string node_arch;
+  std::string node_platform;
+  // Result of v8::ScriptCompiler::CachedDataVersionTag().
+  uint32_t v8_cache_version_tag;
+};
+
 struct SnapshotData {
   enum class DataOwnership { kOwned, kNotOwned };
 
@@ -964,6 +977,8 @@ struct SnapshotData {
 
   DataOwnership data_ownership = DataOwnership::kOwned;
 
+  SnapshotMetadata metadata;
+
   // The result of v8::SnapshotCreator::CreateBlob() during the snapshot
   // building process.
   v8::StartupData v8_snapshot_blob_data{nullptr, 0};
@@ -980,7 +995,10 @@ struct SnapshotData {
   std::vector<builtins::CodeCacheInfo> code_cache;
 
   void ToBlob(FILE* out) const;
-  static void FromBlob(SnapshotData* out, FILE* in);
+  // If returns false, the metadata doesn't match the current Node.js binary,
+  // and the caller should not consume the snapshot data.
+  bool Check() const;
+  static bool FromBlob(SnapshotData* out, FILE* in);
 
   ~SnapshotData();
 
diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 357ca1eb55652d..4e8bbb7ca58f66 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -1279,13 +1279,23 @@ int LoadSnapshotDataAndRun(const SnapshotData** snapshot_data_ptr,
       return exit_code;
     }
     std::unique_ptr<SnapshotData> read_data = std::make_unique<SnapshotData>();
-    SnapshotData::FromBlob(read_data.get(), fp);
+    if (!SnapshotData::FromBlob(read_data.get(), fp)) {
+      // If we fail to read the customized snapshot, simply exit with 1.
+      exit_code = 1;
+      return exit_code;
+    }
     *snapshot_data_ptr = read_data.release();
     fclose(fp);
   } else if (per_process::cli_options->node_snapshot) {
     // If --snapshot-blob is not specified, we are reading the embedded
     // snapshot, but we will skip it if --no-node-snapshot is specified.
-    *snapshot_data_ptr = SnapshotBuilder::GetEmbeddedSnapshotData();
+    const node::SnapshotData* read_data =
+        SnapshotBuilder::GetEmbeddedSnapshotData();
+    if (read_data != nullptr && read_data->Check()) {
+      // If we fail to read the embedded snapshot, treat it as if Node.js
+      // was built without one.
+      *snapshot_data_ptr = read_data;
+    }
   }
 
   if ((*snapshot_data_ptr) != nullptr) {
diff --git a/src/node_internals.h b/src/node_internals.h
index f27e03aed66fed..de81fbee07c30f 100644
--- a/src/node_internals.h
+++ b/src/node_internals.h
@@ -416,6 +416,7 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& output,
                          const TickInfo::SerializeInfo& d);
 std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& output,
                          const AsyncHooks::SerializeInfo& d);
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& output, const SnapshotMetadata& d);
 
 namespace performance {
 std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& output,
diff --git a/src/node_snapshotable.cc b/src/node_snapshotable.cc
index f3bb4f443fc809..f19b83852eeb3e 100644
--- a/src/node_snapshotable.cc
+++ b/src/node_snapshotable.cc
@@ -681,6 +681,57 @@ size_t FileWriter::Write(const EnvSerializeInfo& data) {
   return written_total;
 }
 
+// Layout of SnapshotMetadata
+// [  1 byte   ]  type of the snapshot
+// [ 4/8 bytes ]  length of the node version string
+// [    ...    ]  |length| bytes of node version
+// [ 4/8 bytes ]  length of the node arch string
+// [    ...    ]  |length| bytes of node arch
+// [ 4/8 bytes ]  length of the node platform string
+// [    ...    ]  |length| bytes of node platform
+// [  4 bytes  ]  v8 cache version tag
+template <>
+SnapshotMetadata FileReader::Read() {
+  per_process::Debug(DebugCategory::MKSNAPSHOT, "Read<SnapshotMetadata>()\n");
+
+  SnapshotMetadata result;
+  result.type = static_cast<SnapshotMetadata::Type>(Read<uint8_t>());
+  result.node_version = ReadString();
+  result.node_arch = ReadString();
+  result.node_platform = ReadString();
+  result.v8_cache_version_tag = Read<uint32_t>();
+
+  if (is_debug) {
+    std::string str = ToStr(result);
+    Debug("Read<SnapshotMetadata>() %s\n", str.c_str());
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+template <>
+size_t FileWriter::Write(const SnapshotMetadata& data) {
+  if (is_debug) {
+    std::string str = ToStr(data);
+    Debug("\nWrite<SnapshotMetadata>() %s\n", str.c_str());
+  }
+  size_t written_total = 0;
+  // We need the Node.js version, platform and arch to match because
+  // Node.js may perform synchronizations that are platform-specific and they
+  // can be changed in semver-patches.
+  Debug("Write snapshot type %" PRIu8 "\n", static_cast<uint8_t>(data.type));
+  written_total += Write<uint8_t>(static_cast<uint8_t>(data.type));
+  Debug("Write Node.js version %s\n", data.node_version.c_str());
+  written_total += WriteString(data.node_version);
+  Debug("Write Node.js arch %s\n", data.node_arch);
+  written_total += WriteString(data.node_arch);
+  Debug("Write Node.js platform %s\n", data.node_platform);
+  written_total += WriteString(data.node_platform);
+  Debug("Write V8 cached data version tag %" PRIx32 "\n",
+        data.v8_cache_version_tag);
+  written_total += Write<uint32_t>(data.v8_cache_version_tag);
+  return written_total;
+}
+
 // Layout of the snapshot blob
 // [   4 bytes    ]  kMagic
 // [   4/8 bytes  ]  length of Node.js version string
@@ -697,13 +748,12 @@ void SnapshotData::ToBlob(FILE* out) const {
   w.Debug("SnapshotData::ToBlob()\n");
 
   size_t written_total = 0;
+
   // Metadata
   w.Debug("Write magic %" PRIx32 "\n", kMagic);
   written_total += w.Write<uint32_t>(kMagic);
-  w.Debug("Write version %s\n", NODE_VERSION);
-  written_total += w.WriteString(NODE_VERSION);
-  w.Debug("Write arch %s\n", NODE_ARCH);
-  written_total += w.WriteString(NODE_ARCH);
+  w.Debug("Write metadata\n");
+  written_total += w.Write<SnapshotMetadata>(metadata);
 
   written_total += w.Write<v8::StartupData>(v8_snapshot_blob_data);
   w.Debug("Write isolate_data_indices\n");
@@ -714,22 +764,22 @@ void SnapshotData::ToBlob(FILE* out) const {
   w.Debug("SnapshotData::ToBlob() Wrote %d bytes\n", written_total);
 }
 
-void SnapshotData::FromBlob(SnapshotData* out, FILE* in) {
+bool SnapshotData::FromBlob(SnapshotData* out, FILE* in) {
   FileReader r(in);
   r.Debug("SnapshotData::FromBlob()\n");
 
+  DCHECK_EQ(out->data_ownership, SnapshotData::DataOwnership::kOwned);
+
   // Metadata
   uint32_t magic = r.Read<uint32_t>();
-  r.Debug("Read magic %" PRIx64 "\n", magic);
+  r.Debug("Read magic %" PRIx32 "\n", magic);
   CHECK_EQ(magic, kMagic);
-  std::string version = r.ReadString();
-  r.Debug("Read version %s\n", version.c_str());
-  CHECK_EQ(version, NODE_VERSION);
-  std::string arch = r.ReadString();
-  r.Debug("Read arch %s\n", arch.c_str());
-  CHECK_EQ(arch, NODE_ARCH);
+  out->metadata = r.Read<SnapshotMetadata>();
+  r.Debug("Read metadata\n");
+  if (!out->Check()) {
+    return false;
+  }
 
-  DCHECK_EQ(out->data_ownership, SnapshotData::DataOwnership::kOwned);
   out->v8_snapshot_blob_data = r.Read<v8::StartupData>();
   r.Debug("Read isolate_data_info\n");
   out->isolate_data_info = r.Read<IsolateDataSerializeInfo>();
@@ -738,6 +788,54 @@ void SnapshotData::FromBlob(SnapshotData* out, FILE* in) {
   out->code_cache = r.ReadVector<builtins::CodeCacheInfo>();
 
   r.Debug("SnapshotData::FromBlob() read %d bytes\n", r.read_total);
+  return true;
+}
+
+bool SnapshotData::Check() const {
+  if (metadata.node_version != per_process::metadata.versions.node) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+            "Failed to load the startup snapshot because it was built with"
+            "Node.js version %s and the current Node.js version is %s.\n",
+            metadata.node_version.c_str(),
+            NODE_VERSION);
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (metadata.node_arch != per_process::metadata.arch) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+            "Failed to load the startup snapshot because it was built with"
+            "architecture %s and the architecture is %s.\n",
+            metadata.node_arch.c_str(),
+            NODE_ARCH);
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (metadata.node_platform != per_process::metadata.platform) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+            "Failed to load the startup snapshot because it was built with"
+            "platform %s and the current platform is %s.\n",
+            metadata.node_platform.c_str(),
+            NODE_PLATFORM);
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  uint32_t current_cache_version = v8::ScriptCompiler::CachedDataVersionTag();
+  if (metadata.v8_cache_version_tag != current_cache_version &&
+      metadata.type == SnapshotMetadata::Type::kFullyCustomized) {
+    // For now we only do this check for the customized snapshots - we know
+    // that the flags we use in the default snapshot are limited and safe
+    // enough so we can relax the constraints for it.
+    fprintf(stderr,
+            "Failed to load the startup snapshot because it was built with "
+            "a different version of V8 or with different V8 configurations.\n"
+            "Expected tag %" PRIx32 ", read %" PRIx32 "\n",
+            current_cache_version,
+            metadata.v8_cache_version_tag);
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // TODO(joyeecheung): check incompatible Node.js flags.
+  return true;
 }
 
 SnapshotData::~SnapshotData() {
@@ -824,6 +922,10 @@ static const int v8_snapshot_blob_size = )"
   // -- data_ownership begins --
   SnapshotData::DataOwnership::kNotOwned,
   // -- data_ownership ends --
+  // -- metadata begins --
+)" << data->metadata
+     << R"(,
+  // -- metadata ends --
   // -- v8_snapshot_blob_data begins --
   { v8_snapshot_blob_data, v8_snapshot_blob_size },
   // -- v8_snapshot_blob_data ends --
@@ -920,6 +1022,12 @@ int SnapshotBuilder::Generate(SnapshotData* out,
     per_process::v8_platform.Platform()->UnregisterIsolate(isolate);
   });
 
+  // It's only possible to be kDefault in node_mksnapshot.
+  SnapshotMetadata::Type snapshot_type =
+      per_process::cli_options->build_snapshot
+          ? SnapshotMetadata::Type::kFullyCustomized
+          : SnapshotMetadata::Type::kDefault;
+
   {
     HandleScope scope(isolate);
     TryCatch bootstrapCatch(isolate);
@@ -982,7 +1090,7 @@ int SnapshotBuilder::Generate(SnapshotData* out,
       // point (we currently only support this kind of entry point, but we
       // could also explore snapshotting other kinds of execution modes
       // in the future).
-      if (per_process::cli_options->build_snapshot) {
+      if (snapshot_type == SnapshotMetadata::Type::kFullyCustomized) {
 #if HAVE_INSPECTOR
         // TODO(joyeecheung): move this before RunBootstrapping().
         env->InitializeInspector({});
@@ -1050,6 +1158,12 @@ int SnapshotBuilder::Generate(SnapshotData* out,
     return SNAPSHOT_ERROR;
   }
 
+  out->metadata = SnapshotMetadata{snapshot_type,
+                                   per_process::metadata.versions.node,
+                                   per_process::metadata.arch,
+                                   per_process::metadata.platform,
+                                   v8::ScriptCompiler::CachedDataVersionTag()};
+
   // We cannot resurrect the handles from the snapshot, so make sure that
   // no handles are left open in the environment after the blob is created
   // (which should trigger a GC and close all handles that can be closed).
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-snapshot-incompatible.js b/test/parallel/test-snapshot-incompatible.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..44447df13c6f7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-snapshot-incompatible.js
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// This tests that Node.js refuses to load snapshots built with incompatible
+// V8 configurations.
+
+require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const { spawnSync } = require('child_process');
+const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
+const path = require('path');
+const fs = require('fs');
+
+tmpdir.refresh();
+const blobPath = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'snapshot.blob');
+const entry = fixtures.path('empty.js');
+
+// The flag used can be any flag that makes a difference in
+// v8::ScriptCompiler::CachedDataVersionTag(). --harmony
+// is chosen here because it's stable enough and makes a difference.
+{
+  // Build a snapshot with --harmony.
+  const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, [
+    '--harmony',
+    '--snapshot-blob',
+    blobPath,
+    '--build-snapshot',
+    entry,
+  ], {
+    cwd: tmpdir.path
+  });
+  if (child.status !== 0) {
+    console.log(child.stderr.toString());
+    console.log(child.stdout.toString());
+    assert.strictEqual(child.status, 0);
+  }
+  const stats = fs.statSync(path.join(tmpdir.path, 'snapshot.blob'));
+  assert(stats.isFile());
+}
+
+{
+  // Now load the snapshot without --harmony, which should fail.
+  const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, [
+    '--snapshot-blob',
+    blobPath,
+  ], {
+    cwd: tmpdir.path,
+    env: {
+      ...process.env,
+    }
+  });
+
+  const stderr = child.stderr.toString().trim();
+  assert.match(stderr, /Failed to load the startup snapshot/);
+  assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
+}
+
+{
+  // Load it again with --harmony and it should work.
+  const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, [
+    '--harmony',
+    '--snapshot-blob',
+    blobPath,
+  ], {
+    cwd: tmpdir.path,
+    env: {
+      ...process.env,
+    }
+  });
+
+  if (child.status !== 0) {
+    console.log(child.stderr.toString());
+    console.log(child.stdout.toString());
+    assert.strictEqual(child.status, 0);
+  }
+}