diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions.php b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
index 97e35a930b..689a682de3 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
@@ -429,11 +429,17 @@ function phpbb_email_hash($email)
 */
 function phpbb_version_compare($version1, $version2, $operator = null)
 {
-	global $phpbb_container;
+	$version1 = strtolower($version1);
+	$version2 = strtolower($version2);
 
-	$version_helper = $phpbb_container->get('version_helper');
-
-	return $version_helper->compare($version1, $version2, $operator);
+	if (is_null($operator))
+	{
+		return version_compare($version1, $version2);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return version_compare($version1, $version2, $operator);
+	}
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/version_helper.php b/phpBB/phpbb/version_helper.php
index f9db731415..54c56a1b7f 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/version_helper.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/version_helper.php
@@ -40,17 +40,7 @@ class version_helper
 	 */
 	public function compare($version1, $version2, $operator = null)
 	{
-		$version1 = strtolower($version1);
-		$version2 = strtolower($version2);
-
-		if (is_null($operator))
-		{
-			return version_compare($version1, $version2);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			return version_compare($version1, $version2, $operator);
-		}
+		return phpbb_version_compare($version1, $version2, $operator);
 	}
 
 	/**