diff --git a/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
index 0fcd954..d668108 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
@@ -147,14 +147,30 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Version number query string
+	 * Database version number
 	 *
-	 * @access	public
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	function _version()
+	public function version()
 	{
-		return "SELECT version() AS ver";
+		if (isset($this->data_cache['version']))
+		{
+			return $this->data_cache['version'];
+		}
+
+		if (($pg_version = pg_version($this->conn_id)) === FALSE)
+		{
+			return FALSE;
+		}
+
+		/* If PHP was compiled with PostgreSQL lib versions earlier
+		 * than 7.4, pg_version() won't return the server version
+		 * and so we'll have to fall back to running a query in
+		 * order to get it.
+		 */
+		return isset($pg_version['server'])
+			? $this->data_cache['version'] = $pg_version['server']
+			: parent::version();
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -323,8 +339,7 @@
 	 */
 	function insert_id()
 	{
-		$v = $this->_version();
-		$v = $v['server'];
+		$v = $this->version();
 
 		$table	= func_num_args() > 0 ? func_get_arg(0) : NULL;
 		$column	= func_num_args() > 1 ? func_get_arg(1) : NULL;