diff --git a/nse_main.cc b/nse_main.cc
index 8f58d7b45..dd8fb2177 100644
--- a/nse_main.cc
+++ b/nse_main.cc
@@ -759,6 +759,13 @@ void open_nse (void)
      */
     srand(get_random_uint());
 
+    const lua_Number *version = lua_version(NULL);
+    double major = (*version) / 100.0;
+    double minor = fmod(*version, 10.0);
+    if (o.debugging >= 1)
+      log_write(LOG_STDOUT, "%s: Using Lua %.0f.%.0f.\n", SCRIPT_ENGINE, major, minor);
+    if (*version < 502)
+      fatal("%s: This version of NSE only works with Lua 5.2 or greater.", SCRIPT_ENGINE);
     if ((L_NSE = luaL_newstate()) == NULL)
       fatal("%s: failed to open a Lua state!", SCRIPT_ENGINE);
     lua_atpanic(L_NSE, panic);
diff --git a/nse_main.lua b/nse_main.lua
index 7488733da..fb695c241 100644
--- a/nse_main.lua
+++ b/nse_main.lua
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@
 --    cause the system to stall through improper use.
 --  - Of course the os and io library can cause the system to also break.
 
+local _VERSION = _VERSION;
+local MAJOR, MINOR = assert(_VERSION:match "^Lua (%d+).(%d+)$");
+if tonumber(MAJOR.."."..MINOR) < 5.2 then
+  error "NSE requires Lua 5.2 or newer. It looks like you're using an older version of nmap."
+end
+
 local NAME = "NSE";
 
 -- Script Scan phases.