diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index f1cb409..f83e678 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -1,2 +1,11 @@
+import org.gradle.util.GradleVersion
+import org.gradle.api.GradleScriptException
+
+// required Gradle version
+def minGradleVersion = GradleVersion.version("4.4")
+
+if (GradleVersion.current().compareTo(minGradleVersion) < 0)
+    throw new GradleScriptException("build requires Gradle ${minGradleVersion} or later", null)
+
 include 'oeffi'
 include 'enabler'