diff --git a/src/Microsoft.Dnx.ApplicationHost/DefaultHost.cs b/src/Microsoft.Dnx.ApplicationHost/DefaultHost.cs
index 9367b7980..7d233272a 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.Dnx.ApplicationHost/DefaultHost.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.Dnx.ApplicationHost/DefaultHost.cs
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ private void Initialize(RuntimeOptions options, IServiceProvider hostServices, I
 
             _project = applicationHostContext.Project;
 
+            ValidateMinRuntimeVersion(libraries);
+
             if (options.WatchFiles)
             {
                 fileWatcher.OnChanged += _ =>
@@ -140,11 +142,11 @@ private void Initialize(RuntimeOptions options, IServiceProvider hostServices, I
             var applicationEnvironment = new ApplicationEnvironment(Project, _targetFramework, options.Configuration, hostEnvironment);
 
             var compilationContext = new CompilationEngineContext(
-                applicationEnvironment, 
-                _runtimeEnvironment, 
-                loadContextAccessor.Default, 
-                new CompilationCache(), 
-                fileWatcher, 
+                applicationEnvironment,
+                _runtimeEnvironment,
+                loadContextAccessor.Default,
+                new CompilationCache(),
+                fileWatcher,
                 new ProjectGraphProvider());
 
             // Compilation services available only for runtime compilation
@@ -183,6 +185,22 @@ private void Initialize(RuntimeOptions options, IServiceProvider hostServices, I
             AddBreadcrumbs(libraries);
         }
 
+        private void ValidateMinRuntimeVersion(IEnumerable<LibraryDescription> libraries)
+        {
+            foreach (var lib in libraries)
+            {
+                // We only need to validate if runtime abstractions is precompiled
+                // because when building from sources the versions are not ordered
+                // correctly
+                if (lib.Type == LibraryTypes.Package &&
+                    string.Equals(lib.Identity.Name, "Microsoft.Dnx.Runtime.Abstractions", StringComparison.Ordinal) &&
+                    lib.Identity.Version > new SemanticVersion(_runtimeEnvironment.RuntimeVersion))
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidOperationException($"This application requires DNX version {lib.Identity.Version} or newer to run.");
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         private void AddBreadcrumbs(IEnumerable<LibraryDescription> libraries)
         {
             AddRuntimeServiceBreadcrumb();