diff --git a/src/datasets/utils/version.py b/src/datasets/utils/version.py
index 75cf4c39d5f..4591c4574f6 100644
--- a/src/datasets/utils/version.py
+++ b/src/datasets/utils/version.py
@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ def _str_to_version_tuple(version_str):
     res = _VERSION_REG.match(version_str)
     if not res:
         raise ValueError(f"Invalid version '{version_str}'. Format should be x.y.z with {{x,y,z}} being digits.")
-    return tuple(int(v) for v in [res.group("major"), res.group("minor"), res.group("patch")])
+    _int = int
+    major_s, minor_s, patch_s = res.groups()
+    return (_int(major_s), _int(minor_s), _int(patch_s))
 
 
 def _version_tuple_to_str(version_tuple):