diff --git a/userspace/falco/app_actions/load_rules_files.cpp b/userspace/falco/app_actions/load_rules_files.cpp
index a4879c2b..c2573d67 100644
--- a/userspace/falco/app_actions/load_rules_files.cpp
+++ b/userspace/falco/app_actions/load_rules_files.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,21 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 using namespace falco::app;
 
+bool application::check_rules_plugin_requirements(std::string& err)
+{
+	// Ensure that all plugins are compatible with the loaded set of rules
+	// note: offline inspector contains all the loaded plugins
+	std::vector<falco_engine::plugin_version_requirement> plugin_reqs;
+	for (const auto &plugin : m_state->offline_inspector->get_plugin_manager()->plugins())
+ 	{
+		falco_engine::plugin_version_requirement req;
+		req.name = plugin->name();
+		req.version = plugin->plugin_version().as_string();
+		plugin_reqs.push_back(req);
+ 	}
+	return m_state->engine->check_plugin_requirements(plugin_reqs, err);
+}
+
 void application::check_for_ignored_events()
 {
 	/* Get the events from the rules. */
@@ -134,20 +149,10 @@ application::run_result application::load_rules_files()
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Ensure that all plugins are compatible with the loaded set of rules
-	// note: offline inspector contains all the loaded plugins
-	std::string plugin_vers_err = "";
-	std::vector<falco_engine::plugin_version_requirement> plugin_reqs;
-	for (const auto &plugin : m_state->offline_inspector->get_plugin_manager()->plugins())
- 	{
-		falco_engine::plugin_version_requirement req;
-		req.name = plugin->name();
-		req.version = plugin->plugin_version().as_string();
-		plugin_reqs.push_back(req);
- 	}
-	if (!m_state->engine->check_plugin_requirements(plugin_reqs, plugin_vers_err))
+	std::string err = "";
+	if (!check_rules_plugin_requirements(err))
 	{
-		return run_result::fatal(plugin_vers_err);
+		return run_result::fatal(err);
 	}
 
 	for (const auto& substring : m_options.disabled_rule_substrings)
diff --git a/userspace/falco/application.h b/userspace/falco/application.h
index 13e56234..0cc761b8 100644
--- a/userspace/falco/application.h
+++ b/userspace/falco/application.h
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ private:
 	bool create_handler(int sig, void (*func)(int), run_result &ret);
 	void configure_output_format();
 	void check_for_ignored_events();
+	bool check_rules_plugin_requirements(std::string& err);
 	void format_plugin_info(std::shared_ptr<sinsp_plugin> p, std::ostream& os) const;
 	run_result open_offline_inspector();
 	run_result open_live_inspector(std::shared_ptr<sinsp> inspector, const std::string& source);