diff --git a/Quake/main_sdl.c b/Quake/main_sdl.c
index feb77dd3..03952e37 100644
--- a/Quake/main_sdl.c
+++ b/Quake/main_sdl.c
@@ -24,6 +24,30 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 #include "SDL.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+/* need at least SDL_1.2.10 */
+#define SDL_MIN_X	1
+#define SDL_MIN_Y	2
+#define SDL_MIN_Z	10
+#define SDL_REQUIREDVERSION	(SDL_VERSIONNUM(SDL_MIN_X,SDL_MIN_Y,SDL_MIN_Z))
+/* reject 1.3.0 and newer at runtime. */
+#define SDL_NEW_VERSION_REJECT	(SDL_VERSIONNUM(1,3,0))
+
+static void Sys_CheckSDL (void)
+{
+	const SDL_version *sdl_version = SDL_Linked_Version();
+
+	Sys_Printf("Found SDL version %i.%i.%i\n",sdl_version->major,sdl_version->minor,sdl_version->patch);
+	if (SDL_VERSIONNUM(sdl_version->major,sdl_version->minor,sdl_version->patch) < SDL_REQUIREDVERSION)
+	{	/*reject running under older SDL versions */
+		Sys_Error("You need at least v%d.%d.%d of SDL to run this game.", SDL_MIN_X,SDL_MIN_Y,SDL_MIN_Z);
+	}
+	if (SDL_VERSIONNUM(sdl_version->major,sdl_version->minor,sdl_version->patch) >= SDL_NEW_VERSION_REJECT)
+	{	/*reject running under newer (1.3.x) SDL */
+		Sys_Error("Your version of SDL library is incompatible with me.\n"
+			  "You need a library version in the line of %d.%d.%d\n", SDL_MIN_X,SDL_MIN_Y,SDL_MIN_Z);
+	}
+}
+
 #define DEFAULT_MEMORY 0x4000000
 
 static quakeparms_t	parms;
@@ -44,6 +68,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	isDedicated = (COM_CheckParm("-dedicated") != 0);
 
+	Sys_CheckSDL ();
+
 	Sys_Init();
 
 	// default memory size