diff --git a/jaydebeapi/__init__.py b/jaydebeapi/__init__.py
index c124e6f..ecb5ef1 100644
--- a/jaydebeapi/__init__.py
+++ b/jaydebeapi/__init__.py
@@ -173,7 +173,19 @@ def _jdbc_connect_jpype(jclassname, url, driver_args, jars, libs):
         # jvm_path = ('/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-openjdk'
         #             '/jre/lib/i386/client/libjvm.so')
         jvm_path = jpype.getDefaultJVMPath()
-        jpype.startJVM(jvm_path, *args)
+        jpype_ver = 0.
+        if hasattr(jpype, '__version__'):
+            try:
+                ver_match = re.match('\d+\.\d+', jpype.__version__)
+                if ver_match:
+                    jpype_ver = float(ver_match.group(0))
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
+        if jpype_ver < 0.7:
+            jpype.startJVM(jvm_path, *args)
+        else:
+            jpype.startJVM(jvm_path, *args, ignoreUnrecognized=True,
+                           convertStrings=True)
     if not jpype.isThreadAttachedToJVM():
         jpype.attachThreadToJVM()
     if _jdbc_name_to_const is None: