diff --git a/cmake/Conky.cmake b/cmake/Conky.cmake
index f862cb50..d74b1ab9 100644
--- a/cmake/Conky.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Conky.cmake
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 # vim: ts=4 sw=4 noet ai cindent syntax=cmake
 
+# Conky 2.x requires GCC 4.4 or newer
+try_compile(GCC4_WORKS
+	${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
+	${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}/gcc44test.cc
+)
+if(NOT GCC4_WORKS)
+	message(FATAL_ERROR "Conky 2.x requires GCC 4.4.0 or newer")
+endif(NOT GCC4_WORKS)
+
 # Set system vars
 if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Linux")
 	set(OS_LINUX true)
diff --git a/cmake/gcc44test.cc b/cmake/gcc44test.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..87994e5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/gcc44test.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/* Test for GCC >= 4.4.0 */
+#define GCC_VERSION (__GNUC__ * 10000 \
+		+ __GNUC_MINOR__ * 100 \
+		+ __GNUC_PATCHLEVEL__)
+#if GCC_VERSION < 40400
+#error "GCC 4.4.0 or newer required"
+#endif
+int main() { return 1; }