diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
index 4a043afe5f..2e7d0f1e0b 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_interface.cpp
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ void gl_LoadExtensions()
 
 	gl.vendorstring = (char*)glGetString(GL_VENDOR);
 
+	if (gl.version < 3.3f && !CheckExtension("GL_ARB_sampler_objects"))
+	{
+		I_FatalError("'GL_ARB_sampler_objects' extension not found. Please update your graphics driver.");
+	}
 	if (CheckExtension("GL_ARB_texture_compression")) gl.flags|=RFL_TEXTURE_COMPRESSION;
 	if (CheckExtension("GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc")) gl.flags|=RFL_TEXTURE_COMPRESSION_S3TC;
 	if (!Args->CheckParm("-gl3"))