diff --git a/lib/Moose.pm b/lib/Moose.pm
index 40c24d5ed..f461c8ee1 100644
--- a/lib/Moose.pm
+++ b/lib/Moose.pm
@@ -16,10 +16,8 @@ use Moose::Exporter;
 
 use Class::MOP;
 
-BEGIN {
-    die "Class::MOP version $Moose::VERSION required--this is version $Class::MOP::VERSION"
-        if $Moose::VERSION && $Class::MOP::VERSION ne $Moose::VERSION;
-}
+die "Class::MOP version $Moose::VERSION required--this is version $Class::MOP::VERSION"
+    if $Class::MOP::VERSION ne $Moose::VERSION;
 
 use Moose::Meta::Class;
 use Moose::Meta::TypeConstraint;
diff --git a/lib/Moose/Cookbook/Basics/DateTime_ExtendingNonMooseParent.pod b/lib/Moose/Cookbook/Basics/DateTime_ExtendingNonMooseParent.pod
index 3943c705e..41a3f70a2 100644
--- a/lib/Moose/Cookbook/Basics/DateTime_ExtendingNonMooseParent.pod
+++ b/lib/Moose/Cookbook/Basics/DateTime_ExtendingNonMooseParent.pod
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
 
 =begin testing-SETUP
 
-# because MooseX::NonMoose has a version requirement
-BEGIN { $Moose::Role::VERSION = 9999 unless $Moose::Role::VERSION }
-
 use Test::Requires {
     'DateTime'                  => '0',
     'DateTime::Calendar::Mayan' => '0',
diff --git a/t/cmop/self_introspection.t b/t/cmop/self_introspection.t
index 69128f24d..b2bf32df2 100644
--- a/t/cmop/self_introspection.t
+++ b/t/cmop/self_introspection.t
@@ -323,9 +323,8 @@ is($class_mop_class_meta->find_attribute_by_name('attribute_metaclass')->default
 is($class_mop_class_meta->name, 'Class::MOP::Class', '... Class::MOP::Class->name');
 is($class_mop_class_meta->version, $Class::MOP::Class::VERSION, '... Class::MOP::Class->version');
 
-if ( defined $Class::MOP::Class::VERSION ) {
-    ok($class_mop_class_meta->has_package_symbol('$VERSION'), '... Class::MOP::Class->has_package_symbol($VERSION)');
-}
+ok($class_mop_class_meta->has_package_symbol('$VERSION'), '... Class::MOP::Class->has_package_symbol($VERSION)');
+
 is(${$class_mop_class_meta->get_package_symbol('$VERSION')},
    $Class::MOP::Class::VERSION,
    '... Class::MOP::Class->get_package_symbol($VERSION)');