diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index ecc95e1a..106f8f6b 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -68,6 +68,70 @@ This module provides just couple of functions, main of which are:
     >>> semver.min_ver("1.0.0", "2.0.0")
     '1.0.0'
 
+The version 1.7.4 supports lenient mode for these versions:
+* major.minor. For e.g: 1.0
+* dot in patch. For e.g: 5.2.6.Final, 2.0.4.RELEASE
+
+By default the lenient mode is false, if you want to have these above support, you need to turn on the lenient mode by
+calling method:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    semver.set_lenient(True)
+
+
+Below are examples with lenient mode is False:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    >>> import semver
+    >>> semver.parse("1")
+    Traceback (most recent call last):
+      File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
+      File "semver.py", line 99, in parse
+        raise ValueError('%s is not valid SemVer string' % version)
+    ValueError: 1 is not valid SemVer string
+    >>> semver.parse("1.0")
+    Traceback (most recent call last):
+      File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
+      File "semver.py", line 132, in parse
+        raise ValueError('%s is not valid SemVer string' % version)
+    ValueError: 1.0 is not valid SemVer string
+    >>> semver.parse("1.0.0.FINAL")
+    Traceback (most recent call last):
+      File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
+      File "semver.py", line 132, in parse
+        raise ValueError('%s is not valid SemVer string' % version)
+    ValueError: 1.0.0.FINAL is not valid SemVer string
+    >>> semver.parse("5.2.6.Final")
+    Traceback (most recent call last):
+      File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
+      File "semver.py", line 132, in parse
+        raise ValueError('%s is not valid SemVer string' % version)
+    ValueError: 5.2.6.Final is not valid SemVer string
+    >>> semver.parse("2.0.4.RELEASE")
+    Traceback (most recent call last):
+      File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
+      File "semver.py", line 132, in parse
+        raise ValueError('%s is not valid SemVer string' % version)
+    ValueError: 2.0.4.RELEASE is not valid SemVer string
+
+
+Below are examples when we turn on lenient mode:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    >>> import semver
+    >>> semver.set_lenient(True)
+    >>> semver.parse("1")
+    {'major': 1, 'prerelease': None, 'build': None, 'minor': 0, 'patch': 0}
+    >>> semver.parse("1.0")
+    {'major': 1, 'prerelease': None, 'build': None, 'minor': 0, 'patch': 0}
+    >>> semver.parse("5.2.6.Final")
+    {'major': 5, 'prerelease': None, 'build': 'Final', 'minor': 2, 'patch': 6}
+    >>> semver.parse("2.0.4.RELEASE")
+    {'major': 2, 'prerelease': None, 'build': 'RELEASE', 'minor': 0, 'patch': 4}
+
 Installation
 ------------
 
diff --git a/semver.py b/semver.py
index d82718b6..bfef80f3 100644
--- a/semver.py
+++ b/semver.py
@@ -50,30 +50,74 @@
 __author__ = 'Kostiantyn Rybnikov'
 __author_email__ = 'k-bx@k-bx.com'
 
-_REGEX = re.compile(
-        r"""
-        ^
-        (?P<major>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
-        \.
-        (?P<minor>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
-        \.
-        (?P<patch>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
-        (\-(?P<prerelease>
-            (?:0|[1-9A-Za-z-][0-9A-Za-z-]*)
-            (\.(?:0|[1-9A-Za-z-][0-9A-Za-z-]*))*
-        ))?
-        (\+(?P<build>
-            [0-9A-Za-z-]+
-            (\.[0-9A-Za-z-]+)*
-        ))?
-        $
-        """, re.VERBOSE)
+# Lenient mode is off by default
+lenient = False
 
 _LAST_NUMBER = re.compile(r'(?:[^\d]*(\d+)[^\d]*)+')
 
 if not hasattr(__builtins__, 'cmp'):
     def cmp(a, b):
-        return (a > b) - (a < b)
+        if lenient:
+            if a is not None and b is not None:
+                return (a > b) - (a < b)
+            elif a is not None and b is None:
+                return 1
+            elif a is None and b is not None:
+                return -1
+            else:
+                return 0
+        else:
+            return (a > b) - (a < b)
+
+
+def set_lenient(a):
+    global lenient
+    lenient = a
+
+
+def get_regex():
+    if lenient:
+        return re.compile(
+            r"""
+            ^
+            (?P<major>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
+            (
+                \.
+                (?P<minor>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
+                (
+                    \.
+                    (?P<patch>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
+                    (\-(?P<prerelease>
+                        (?:0|[1-9A-Za-z-][0-9A-Za-z-]*)
+                        (\.(?:0|[1-9A-Za-z-][0-9A-Za-z-]*))*
+                    ))?
+                    ((\+|\.)(?P<build>
+                        [0-9A-Za-z-]+
+                        (\.[0-9A-Za-z-]+)*
+                    ))?
+                )?
+            )?
+            $
+            """, re.VERBOSE)
+    else:
+        return re.compile(
+            r"""
+            ^
+            (?P<major>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
+            \.
+            (?P<minor>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
+            \.
+            (?P<patch>(?:0|[1-9][0-9]*))
+            (\-(?P<prerelease>
+                (?:0|[1-9A-Za-z-][0-9A-Za-z-]*)
+                (\.(?:0|[1-9A-Za-z-][0-9A-Za-z-]*))*
+            ))?
+            (\+(?P<build>
+                [0-9A-Za-z-]+
+                (\.[0-9A-Za-z-]+)*
+            ))?
+            $
+            """, re.VERBOSE)
 
 
 def parse(version):
@@ -85,15 +129,26 @@ def parse(version):
              if not provided
     :rtype: dict
     """
-    match = _REGEX.match(version)
+    match = get_regex().match(version)
     if match is None:
         raise ValueError('%s is not valid SemVer string' % version)
 
     version_parts = match.groupdict()
 
     version_parts['major'] = int(version_parts['major'])
-    version_parts['minor'] = int(version_parts['minor'])
-    version_parts['patch'] = int(version_parts['patch'])
+    if lenient:
+        if version_parts['minor'] is not None:
+            version_parts['minor'] = int(version_parts['minor'])
+        else:
+            version_parts['minor'] = 0
+
+        if version_parts['patch'] is not None:
+            version_parts['patch'] = int(version_parts['patch'])
+        else:
+            version_parts['patch'] = 0
+    else:
+        version_parts['minor'] = int(version_parts['minor'])
+        version_parts['patch'] = int(version_parts['patch'])
 
     return version_parts
 
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 5681aefc..9dfa6151 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from semver import bump_build
 from semver import min_ver
 from semver import max_ver
+from semver import set_lenient
 
 
 SEMVERFUNCS = [
@@ -256,3 +257,66 @@ def test_should_bump_build():
     assert bump_build('3.4.5-rc.1+0009.dev') == '3.4.5-rc.1+0010.dev'
     assert bump_build('3.4.5-rc.1') == '3.4.5-rc.1+build.1'
     assert bump_build('3.4.5') == '3.4.5+build.1'
+
+
+def test_parse_version_has_major_and_minor_only():
+    set_lenient(True)
+    version_info = parse('1.0')
+    assert version_info['major'] == 1
+    assert version_info['minor'] == 0
+    set_lenient(False)
+
+
+def test_parse_version_with_patch_has_plus():
+    set_lenient(True)
+    version_info = parse('3.4.5+Final')
+    assert version_info['major'] == 3
+    assert version_info['minor'] == 4
+    assert version_info['patch'] == 5
+    assert version_info['build'] == 'Final'
+    set_lenient(False)
+
+
+def test_parse_version_with_patch_has_dot():
+    set_lenient(True)
+    version_info = parse('3.4.5.Final')
+    assert version_info['major'] == 3
+    assert version_info['minor'] == 4
+    assert version_info['patch'] == 5
+    assert version_info['build'] == 'Final'
+    set_lenient(False)
+
+
+def test_compare_versions_having_major_only():
+    set_lenient(True)
+    assert compare('1', '1.0') == 0
+    assert compare('1', '1.0.0') == 0
+    assert compare('1.1', '1') == 1
+    set_lenient(False)
+
+
+def test_compare_versions_having_major_and_minor_only():
+    set_lenient(True)
+    assert compare('1.0', '2.0') == -1
+    assert compare('2.0', '1.0') == 1
+    assert compare('2.0', '2.0') == 0
+    assert compare('2.0', '2.0.0') == 0
+    set_lenient(False)
+
+
+def test_compare_versions_with_patch_has_plus():
+    set_lenient(True)
+    assert compare('3.4.5+Final', '3.4.5') == 0
+    assert compare('3.4.5+Final', '3.4.6') == -1
+    assert compare('3.4.5+Final', '3.4.4') == 1
+    assert compare('3.4.5+Final', '3.4.5.Final') == 0
+    set_lenient(False)
+
+
+def test_compare_versions_with_patch_has_dot():
+    set_lenient(True)
+    assert compare('3.4.5.Final', '3.4.5') == 0
+    assert compare('3.4.5.Final', '3.4.6') == -1
+    assert compare('3.4.5.Final', '3.4.4') == 1
+    assert compare('3.4.5.Final', '3.4.5.Final') == 0
+    set_lenient(False)

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