diff --git a/bigchaindb/core.py b/bigchaindb/core.py
index 295f1aae..f936bd91 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/core.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/core.py
@@ -118,17 +118,13 @@ class App(BaseApplication):
         self.abort_if_abci_chain_is_not_synced()
 
         # Check if BigchainDB supports the Tendermint version
-        try:
-            if tendermint_version_is_compatible(request.version):
-                logger.info(f"Tendermint version: {request.version}")
-            else:
-                logger.error(f"Error: Tendermint version {request.version} not supported."
-                             f" Currently, BigchainDB only supports {__tm_supported_versions__}. Exiting!")
-                sys.exit(1)
-        except AttributeError:
-            logger.info("Tendermint version not found. Exiting!")
+        if not (hasattr(request, 'version') and tendermint_version_is_compatible(request.version)):
+            logger.error(f'Unsupported Tendermint version: {getattr(request, "version", "no version")}.'
+                         f' Currently, BigchainDB only supports {__tm_supported_versions__}. Exiting!')
             sys.exit(1)
 
+        logger.info(f"Tendermint version: {request.version}")
+
         r = ResponseInfo()
         block = self.bigchaindb.get_latest_block()
         if block:
diff --git a/bigchaindb/utils.py b/bigchaindb/utils.py
index 57fcc4a0..c2b6ef81 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/utils.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/utils.py
@@ -205,5 +205,4 @@ def tendermint_version_is_compatible(running_tm_ver):
     for ver in __tm_supported_versions__:
         if version.parse(ver) == version.parse(tm_ver[0]):
             return True
-    else:
-        return False
+    return False