diff --git a/vcsserver/svn.py b/vcsserver/svn.py
--- a/vcsserver/svn.py
+++ b/vcsserver/svn.py
@@ -47,8 +47,17 @@ svn_compatible_versions = set([
     'pre-1.5-compatible',
     'pre-1.6-compatible',
     'pre-1.8-compatible',
+    'pre-1.9-compatible',
 ])
 
+svn_compatible_versions_map = {
+    'pre-1.4-compatible': '1.3',
+    'pre-1.5-compatible': '1.4',
+    'pre-1.6-compatible': '1.5',
+    'pre-1.8-compatible': '1.7',
+    'pre-1.9-compatible': '1.8',
+}
+
 
 def reraise_safe_exceptions(func):
     """Decorator for converting svn exceptions to something neutral."""
@@ -68,14 +77,15 @@ class SubversionFactory(RepoFactory):
     def _create_repo(self, wire, create, compatible_version):
         path = svn.core.svn_path_canonicalize(wire['path'])
         if create:
-            fs_config = {}
+            fs_config = {'compatible-version': '1.9'}
             if compatible_version:
                 if compatible_version not in svn_compatible_versions:
                     raise Exception('Unknown SVN compatible version "{}"'
                                     .format(compatible_version))
-                log.debug('Create SVN repo with compatible version "%s"',
-                          compatible_version)
-                fs_config[compatible_version] = '1'
+                fs_config['compatible-version'] = \
+                    svn_compatible_versions_map[compatible_version]
+
+            log.debug('Create SVN repo with config "%s"', fs_config)
             repo = svn.repos.create(path, "", "", None, fs_config)
         else:
             repo = svn.repos.open(path)
@@ -88,7 +98,6 @@ class SubversionFactory(RepoFactory):
         return self._repo(wire, create_new_repo)
 
 
-
 NODE_TYPE_MAPPING = {
     svn.core.svn_node_file: 'file',
     svn.core.svn_node_dir: 'dir',