diff --git a/js/jquery.tablesorter.js b/js/jquery.tablesorter.js
index a955fb2c..2ee6d830 100644
--- a/js/jquery.tablesorter.js
+++ b/js/jquery.tablesorter.js
@@ -832,7 +832,7 @@
 					if (c.debug) { $.data( table, 'startoveralltimer', new Date()); }
 					// constants
 					c.supportsTextContent = $('<span>x</span>')[0].textContent === 'x';
-					c.supportsDataObject = parseFloat($.fn.jquery) >= 1.4;
+					c.supportsDataObject = (function(version) { version[0] = parseInt(version[0]) ; return (version[0] > 1) || (version[0] == 1 && parseInt(version[1]) >= 4); })($.fn.jquery.split("."));
 					// digit sort text location; keeping max+/- for backwards compatibility
 					c.string = { 'max': 1, 'min': -1, 'max+': 1, 'max-': -1, 'zero': 0, 'none': 0, 'null': 0, 'top': true, 'bottom': false };
 					// add table theme class only if there isn't already one there