diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/distribution.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/distribution.ts
index 3de02376f..b2a441347 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/distribution.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/distribution.ts
@@ -322,16 +322,22 @@ class ExtensionSpecificDistributionManager {
   }
 
   private async getLatestRelease(): Promise<Release> {
-    const release = await this.createReleasesApiConsumer().getLatestRelease(this._versionRange, this._config.includePrerelease);
-    // FIXME: Look for platform-specific codeql distribution if available
-    release.assets = release.assets.filter(asset => asset.name === 'codeql.zip');
-    if (release.assets.length === 0) {
-      throw new Error("Release had no asset named codeql.zip");
-    }
-    else if (release.assets.length > 1) {
-      throw new Error("Release had more than one asset named codeql.zip");
-    }
-    return release;
+    return await this.createReleasesApiConsumer().getLatestRelease(
+      this._versionRange,
+      this._config.includePrerelease,
+      release => {
+        // FIXME: Look for platform-specific codeql distribution if available
+        // https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/issues/417
+        const matchingAssets = release.assets.filter(asset => asset.name === 'codeql.zip');
+        if (matchingAssets.length !== 1) {
+          if (matchingAssets.length > 1) {
+            logger.log("WARNING: Ignoring a release with more than one asset named codeql.zip");
+          }
+          return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+      }
+    );
   }
 
   private createReleasesApiConsumer(): ReleasesApiConsumer {
@@ -391,7 +397,7 @@ export class ReleasesApiConsumer {
     this._repoName = repoName;
   }
 
-  public async getLatestRelease(versionRange: semver.Range, includePrerelease = false): Promise<Release> {
+  public async getLatestRelease(versionRange: semver.Range, includePrerelease = false, additionalCompatibilityCheck?: (release: GithubRelease) => boolean): Promise<Release> {
     const apiPath = `/repos/${this._ownerName}/${this._repoName}/releases`;
     const allReleases: GithubRelease[] = await (await this.makeApiCall(apiPath)).json();
     const compatibleReleases = allReleases.filter(release => {
@@ -400,7 +406,11 @@ export class ReleasesApiConsumer {
       }
 
       const version = semver.parse(release.tag_name);
-      return version !== null && semver.satisfies(version, versionRange);
+      if (version === null || !semver.satisfies(version, versionRange)) {
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      return !additionalCompatibilityCheck || additionalCompatibilityCheck(release);
     });
     // Tag names must all be parsable to semvers due to the previous filtering step.
     const latestRelease = compatibleReleases.sort((a, b) => {
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/vscode-tests/no-workspace/distribution.test.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/vscode-tests/no-workspace/distribution.test.ts
index d7de15d14..7377193e8 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/vscode-tests/no-workspace/distribution.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/vscode-tests/no-workspace/distribution.test.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@ describe("Releases API consumer", () => {
       "tag_name": "v3.1.1"
     },
     {
-      "assets": [],
+      "assets": [{
+        id: 1,
+        name: "exampleAsset.txt",
+        size: 1
+      }],
       "created_at": "2019-09-05T00:00:00Z",
       "id": 3,
       "name": "",
@@ -85,6 +89,26 @@ describe("Releases API consumer", () => {
     expect(latestRelease.id).to.equal(1);
   });
 
+  it("picking latest release: release passes additional compatibility test if additional compatibility test specified", async () => {
+    class MockReleasesApiConsumer extends ReleasesApiConsumer {
+      protected async makeApiCall(apiPath: string): Promise<fetch.Response> {
+        if (apiPath === `/repos/${owner}/${repo}/releases`) {
+          return Promise.resolve(new fetch.Response(JSON.stringify(sampleReleaseResponse)));
+        }
+        return Promise.reject(new Error(`Unknown API path: ${apiPath}`));
+      }
+    }
+
+    const consumer = new MockReleasesApiConsumer(owner, repo);
+
+    const latestRelease = await consumer.getLatestRelease(
+      new semver.Range("2.*.*"),
+      true,
+      release => release.assets.some(asset => asset.name === "exampleAsset.txt")
+    );
+    expect(latestRelease.id).to.equal(3);
+  });
+
   it("picking latest release: includes prereleases when option set", async () => {
     class MockReleasesApiConsumer extends ReleasesApiConsumer {
       protected async makeApiCall(apiPath: string): Promise<fetch.Response> {