diff --git a/qiskit/qpy/interface.py b/qiskit/qpy/interface.py
index a22ce5f20db3..aaeb3417b287 100644
--- a/qiskit/qpy/interface.py
+++ b/qiskit/qpy/interface.py
@@ -225,6 +225,11 @@ def load(
             file_obj.read(formats.FILE_HEADER_SIZE),
         )
     )
+    if data.qpy_version > common.QPY_VERSION:
+        raise QiskitError(
+            f"The QPY format version being read, {data.qpy_version}, isn't supported by "
+            "this Qiskit version. Please upgrade your version of Qiskit to load this QPY payload"
+        )
     if data.preface.decode(common.ENCODE) != "QISKIT":
         raise QiskitError("Input file is not a valid QPY file")
     version_match = VERSION_PATTERN_REGEX.search(__version__)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/fix-error-message-qpy-version-cf0763da22ce2224.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/fix-error-message-qpy-version-cf0763da22ce2224.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..67690c011126
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/fix-error-message-qpy-version-cf0763da22ce2224.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixed an issue with :func:`.qpy.load` when attempting to load a QPY format
+    version that is not supported by this version of Qiskit it will now display
+    a descriptive error message. Previously, it would raise an internal error
+    because of the incompatibility between the formats which was difficult to
+    debug. If the QPY format verison is not supported that indicates the Qiskit
+    version will need to be upgraded to read the QPY payload.
diff --git a/test/python/qpy/test_circuit_load_from_qpy.py b/test/python/qpy/test_circuit_load_from_qpy.py
index 3684e8aacfe6..ba6aeb81f290 100644
--- a/test/python/qpy/test_circuit_load_from_qpy.py
+++ b/test/python/qpy/test_circuit_load_from_qpy.py
@@ -13,12 +13,15 @@
 """Test cases for the schedule block qpy loading and saving."""
 
 import io
+import struct
 
 from ddt import ddt, data
 
 from qiskit.circuit import QuantumCircuit, QuantumRegister, Qubit
 from qiskit.providers.fake_provider import FakeHanoi, FakeSherbrooke
-from qiskit.qpy import dump, load
+from qiskit.exceptions import QiskitError
+from qiskit.qpy import dump, load, formats
+from qiskit.qpy.common import QPY_VERSION
 from qiskit.test import QiskitTestCase
 from qiskit.transpiler import PassManager, TranspileLayout
 from qiskit.transpiler import passes
@@ -71,6 +74,20 @@ def test_rzx_calibration_echo(self, angle):
         self.assert_roundtrip_equal(rzx_qc)
 
 
+class TestVersions(QpyCircuitTestCase):
+    """Test version handling in qpy."""
+
+    def test_invalid_qpy_version(self):
+        """Test a descriptive exception is raised if QPY version is too new."""
+        with io.BytesIO() as buf:
+            buf.write(
+                struct.pack(formats.FILE_HEADER_PACK, b"QISKIT", QPY_VERSION + 4, 42, 42, 1, 2)
+            )
+            buf.seek(0)
+            with self.assertRaisesRegex(QiskitError, str(QPY_VERSION + 4)):
+                load(buf)
+
+
 @ddt
 class TestLayout(QpyCircuitTestCase):
     """Test circuit serialization for layout preservation."""
diff --git a/test/qpy_compat/process_version.sh b/test/qpy_compat/process_version.sh
index 59c5610eb95c..c575317fd0b1 100755
--- a/test/qpy_compat/process_version.sh
+++ b/test/qpy_compat/process_version.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ version=$1
 parts=( ${version//./ } )
 if [[ ${parts[1]} -lt 18 ]] ; then
     exit 0
+elif [[ ${parts[1]} -gt 25 ]] ; then
+    exit 0
 fi
 
 if [[ ! -d qpy_$version ]] ; then