diff --git a/scripts/gen_gdt.py b/scripts/gen_gdt.py
index 8af8e7aa72b..cd4cc460ed4 100755
--- a/scripts/gen_gdt.py
+++ b/scripts/gen_gdt.py
@@ -8,9 +8,15 @@ import argparse
 import sys
 import struct
 import os
+import elftools
+from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 from elftools.elf.elffile import ELFFile
 from elftools.elf.sections import SymbolTableSection
 
+if LooseVersion(elftools.__version__) < LooseVersion('0.24'):
+    sys.stderr.write("pyelftools is out of date, need version 0.24 or later\n")
+    sys.exit(1)
+
 def debug(text):
     if not args.verbose:
         return
diff --git a/scripts/gen_idt.py b/scripts/gen_idt.py
index 3583031f6c3..df9e1fc1308 100755
--- a/scripts/gen_idt.py
+++ b/scripts/gen_idt.py
@@ -8,9 +8,15 @@ import argparse
 import sys
 import struct
 import os
+import elftools
+from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 from elftools.elf.elffile import ELFFile
 from elftools.elf.sections import SymbolTableSection
 
+if LooseVersion(elftools.__version__) < LooseVersion('0.24'):
+    sys.stderr.write("pyelftools is out of date, need version 0.24 or later\n")
+    sys.exit(1)
+
 # This will never change, first selector in the GDT after the null selector
 KERNEL_CODE_SEG = 0x08