diff --git a/src/v/rpc/transport.h b/src/v/rpc/transport.h
index c59d94a64485c..0a371beecaf3e 100644
--- a/src/v/rpc/transport.h
+++ b/src/v/rpc/transport.h
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ ss::future<result<rpc::client_context<T>>> parse_result(
         }
         if (protocol_violation) {
             vlog(
-              rpclog.warn,
+              rpclog.error,
               "Protocol violation: request version {} incompatible with "
               "reply version {}",
               req_ver,