diff --git a/src/sparseml/pytorch/torchvision/train.py b/src/sparseml/pytorch/torchvision/train.py
index 2e888d77bca..7c77ee3e08c 100644
--- a/src/sparseml/pytorch/torchvision/train.py
+++ b/src/sparseml/pytorch/torchvision/train.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 import torch
 import torch.utils.data
 import torchvision
+from packaging import version
 from torch import nn
 from torch.utils.data.dataloader import DataLoader, default_collate
 from torchvision.transforms.functional import InterpolationMode
@@ -408,7 +409,15 @@ def collate_fn(batch):
     if args.distributed and args.sync_bn:
         model = torch.nn.SyncBatchNorm.convert_sync_batchnorm(model)
 
-    criterion = nn.CrossEntropyLoss(label_smoothing=args.label_smoothing)
+    if version.parse(torch.__version__) >= version.parse("1.10"):
+        criterion = nn.CrossEntropyLoss(label_smoothing=args.label_smoothing)
+    elif args.label_smoothing > 0:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"`label_smoothing` not supported for {torch.__version__}, "
+            f"try upgrading to at-least 1.10"
+        )
+    else:
+        criterion = nn.CrossEntropyLoss()
 
     custom_keys_weight_decay = []
     if args.bias_weight_decay is not None: