diff --git a/core/setup.py b/core/setup.py
index 8e2b09acbc7..ce071a3ff5f 100644
--- a/core/setup.py
+++ b/core/setup.py
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+if sys.version_info < (3, 6):
+    print('Error: dbt does not support this version of Python.')
+    print('Please upgrade to Python 3.6 or higher.')
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
 from setuptools import setup
 try:
     from setuptools import find_namespace_packages
diff --git a/plugins/bigquery/setup.py b/plugins/bigquery/setup.py
index 5ffa04f5f8f..b0f429cac8c 100644
--- a/plugins/bigquery/setup.py
+++ b/plugins/bigquery/setup.py
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+if sys.version_info < (3, 6):
+    print('Error: dbt does not support this version of Python.')
+    print('Please upgrade to Python 3.6 or higher.')
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
 from setuptools import setup
 try:
     from setuptools import find_namespace_packages
diff --git a/plugins/postgres/setup.py b/plugins/postgres/setup.py
index acabd563943..fc0bf2f25e1 100644
--- a/plugins/postgres/setup.py
+++ b/plugins/postgres/setup.py
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+if sys.version_info < (3, 6):
+    print('Error: dbt does not support this version of Python.')
+    print('Please upgrade to Python 3.6 or higher.')
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
 from setuptools import setup
 try:
     from setuptools import find_namespace_packages
diff --git a/plugins/redshift/setup.py b/plugins/redshift/setup.py
index 537ee87addb..28b145ca4fa 100644
--- a/plugins/redshift/setup.py
+++ b/plugins/redshift/setup.py
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+if sys.version_info < (3, 6):
+    print('Error: dbt does not support this version of Python.')
+    print('Please upgrade to Python 3.6 or higher.')
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
 from setuptools import setup
 try:
     from setuptools import find_namespace_packages
diff --git a/plugins/snowflake/setup.py b/plugins/snowflake/setup.py
index b89be4e4e74..b4d363923e8 100644
--- a/plugins/snowflake/setup.py
+++ b/plugins/snowflake/setup.py
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+if sys.version_info < (3, 6):
+    print('Error: dbt does not support this version of Python.')
+    print('Please upgrade to Python 3.6 or higher.')
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
 from setuptools import setup
 try:
     from setuptools import find_namespace_packages
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 476afeca069..1afee2f8e05 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+if sys.version_info < (3, 6):
+    print('Error: dbt does not support this version of Python.')
+    print('Please upgrade to Python 3.6 or higher.')
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
 from setuptools import setup
 try:
     from setuptools import find_namespace_packages