diff --git a/mopidy/internal/gi.py b/mopidy/internal/gi.py
index 16931a90..320aa611 100644
--- a/mopidy/internal/gi.py
+++ b/mopidy/internal/gi.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals
 
+import sys
 import textwrap
 
 
@@ -24,6 +25,14 @@ else:
     Gst.is_initialized() or Gst.init()
 
 
+REQUIRED_GST_VERSION = (1, 2)
+
+if Gst.version() < REQUIRED_GST_VERSION:
+    sys.exit(
+        'ERROR: Mopidy requires GStreamer >= %s, but found %s.' % (
+            '.'.join(map(str, REQUIRED_GST_VERSION)), Gst.version_string()))
+
+
 __all__ = [
     'GLib',
     'GObject',