diff --git a/jax/_src/test_util.py b/jax/_src/test_util.py
index 3fff55d9e..caff1c731 100644
--- a/jax/_src/test_util.py
+++ b/jax/_src/test_util.py
@@ -429,7 +429,9 @@ def stablehlo_version_at_least(required_version: str):
   plugin_version = xla_bridge.backend_stablehlo_version()
   if plugin_version is None:
     return True
-  return hlo.get_smaller_version(plugin_version, required_version) == plugin_version
+  return hlo.get_smaller_version(
+      ".".join(map(str, plugin_version)), required_version
+  ) == plugin_version
 
 def get_tpu_version() -> int:
   if device_under_test() != "tpu":
diff --git a/jax/_src/xla_bridge.py b/jax/_src/xla_bridge.py
index c23510183..5fb42c333 100644
--- a/jax/_src/xla_bridge.py
+++ b/jax/_src/xla_bridge.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import pkgutil
 import platform as py_platform
 import threading
 import traceback
-from typing import Any, Union
+from typing import Any, Sequence, Union
 import warnings
 
 from jax._src import config
@@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ def backend_xla_version(platform=None) -> int | None:
   backend = get_backend(platform)
   return getattr(backend, "xla_version", None)
 
-def backend_stablehlo_version(platform=None) -> int | None:
+def backend_stablehlo_version(platform=None) -> Sequence[int] | None:
   """Returns the StableHLO version of the backend.
 
   Returns None if the backend does not use PJRT C API or does not have