Backward compatibility psql 8.1 to 8.2

I'm getting the dreaded psql warning:
 WARNING:  You are connected to a server with major version 8.1, but your psql client is major version 8.2.  Some
backslashcommands, such as \d, might not work properly.
 

And indeed, most stuff works, but \d for a specific table fails.  Has
there been talk of making a backwards compatibility nod here?  I don't
want to downgrade my development machine, and I don't control the remote
machine.  How fundamentally different is the protocol -- and would it be
feasible to support both?
                              -Bryce