diff --git a/docs/changelogs/v0.34.md b/docs/changelogs/v0.34.md
index 327b021c287..a859618bcea 100644
--- a/docs/changelogs/v0.34.md
+++ b/docs/changelogs/v0.34.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   - [RPC and CLI command changes](#rpc-and-cli-command-changes)
   - [Bitswap improvements from Boxo](#bitswap-improvements-from-boxo)
   - [IPFS_LOG_LEVEL deprecated](#ipfs_log_level-deprecated)
+  - [Pebble datastore format upgrade](#pebble_datastore_format_update)
 - [👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Contributors](#-contributors)
 
 ### Overview
@@ -29,4 +30,9 @@ This release includes performance and reliability improvements and fixes for min
 
 The variable has been deprecated. Please use [`GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL`](https://github.com/ipfs/kubo/blob/master/docs/environment-variables.md#golog_log_level) instead for configuring logging levels.
 
+#### Pebble datastore format update
+
+If the pebble database format is not explicitly set in the config, then automatically upgrade it to the latest format version supported by the release ob pebble used by kubo. This will ensure that the database format is sufficiently up-to-date to be compatible with a major version upgrade of pebble. This is necessary before upgrading to use pebble v2.
+
+
 ### 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Contributors
diff --git a/plugin/plugins/pebbleds/pebbleds.go b/plugin/plugins/pebbleds/pebbleds.go
index 965dcce137c..13287a5f34d 100644
--- a/plugin/plugins/pebbleds/pebbleds.go
+++ b/plugin/plugins/pebbleds/pebbleds.go
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ func (*pebbledsPlugin) DatastoreConfigParser() fsrepo.ConfigFromMap {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		fmv, err := getConfigInt("formatMajorVersion", params)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		formatMajorVersion := pebble.FormatMajorVersion(fmv)
 		l0CompactionThreshold, err := getConfigInt("l0CompactionThreshold", params)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
@@ -105,10 +110,17 @@ func (*pebbledsPlugin) DatastoreConfigParser() fsrepo.ConfigFromMap {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		if bytesPerSync != 0 || disableWAL || l0CompactionThreshold != 0 || l0StopWritesThreshold != 0 || lBaseMaxBytes != 0 || maxConcurrentCompactions != 0 || memTableSize != 0 || memTableStopWritesThreshold != 0 || walBytesPerSync != 0 || walMinSyncSec != 0 {
+		// Use latest version by default. This will ensure that format is
+		// compatible across database upgrades.
+		if formatMajorVersion == 0 {
+			formatMajorVersion = pebble.FormatNewest
+		}
+
+		if bytesPerSync != 0 || disableWAL || formatMajorVersion != 0 || l0CompactionThreshold != 0 || l0StopWritesThreshold != 0 || lBaseMaxBytes != 0 || maxConcurrentCompactions != 0 || memTableSize != 0 || memTableStopWritesThreshold != 0 || walBytesPerSync != 0 || walMinSyncSec != 0 {
 			c.pebbleOpts = &pebble.Options{
 				BytesPerSync:                bytesPerSync,
 				DisableWAL:                  disableWAL,
+				FormatMajorVersion:          formatMajorVersion,
 				L0CompactionThreshold:       l0CompactionThreshold,
 				L0StopWritesThreshold:       l0StopWritesThreshold,
 				LBaseMaxBytes:               int64(lBaseMaxBytes),