diff --git a/sshsh256.c b/sshsh256.c
index 03ff6ab1..cb138f63 100644
--- a/sshsh256.c
+++ b/sshsh256.c
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
 #       define HW_SHA256 HW_SHA256_NI
 #   endif
 #elif defined(__GNUC__)
-#    if (__GNUC__ >= 5) && (defined(__x86_64__) || defined(__i386))
+#    if (__GNUC__ > 4 || (__GNUC__ == 4 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 9)) && \
+        (defined(__x86_64__) || defined(__i386))
 #       define HW_SHA256 HW_SHA256_NI
 #    endif
 #elif defined (_MSC_VER)
diff --git a/sshsha.c b/sshsha.c
index d59f1f3d..3c09d4c5 100644
--- a/sshsha.c
+++ b/sshsha.c
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
 #       define HW_SHA1 HW_SHA1_NI
 #   endif
 #elif defined(__GNUC__)
-#    if (__GNUC__ >= 5) && (defined(__x86_64__) || defined(__i386))
+#    if (__GNUC__ > 4 || (__GNUC__ == 4 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 9)) && \
+        (defined(__x86_64__) || defined(__i386))
 #       define HW_SHA1 HW_SHA1_NI
 #    endif
 #elif defined (_MSC_VER)