diff --git a/stand/lua/core.lua b/stand/lua/core.lua
index 9226de56434..7b7560ddc82 100644
--- a/stand/lua/core.lua
+++ b/stand/lua/core.lua
@@ -542,6 +542,27 @@ function core.nextConsoleChoice()
 	end
 end
 
+-- Sanity check the boot loader revision
+-- Loaders with version 3.0 have everything that we need without backwards
+-- compatible hacks. Warn users that still have old versions to upgrade so
+-- that we can remove the backwards compatible hacks in the future since
+-- they have been there a long time.
+local loader_major = 3
+
+function core.loaderTooOld()
+	return loader.version == nil or loader.version < loader_major * 1000
+end
+
+if core.loaderTooOld() then
+	print("**********************************************************************")
+	print("**********************************************************************")
+	print("*****                                                            *****")
+	print("*****           BOOT LOADER IS TOO OLD. PLEASE UPGRADE.          *****")
+	print("*****                                                            *****")
+	print("**********************************************************************")
+	print("**********************************************************************")
+end
+
 recordDefaults()
 hook.register("config.reloaded", core.clearCachedKernels)
 return core
diff --git a/stand/lua/core.lua.8 b/stand/lua/core.lua.8
index 84447d7632b..0bdf88c1a36 100644
--- a/stand/lua/core.lua.8
+++ b/stand/lua/core.lua.8
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ If there are no elements, this returns nil and nil.
 If there is one element, this returns the front element and an empty table.
 This will not operate on truly associative tables; numeric indices are
 required.
+.It Fn core.loaderTooOld
+Returns true if the loader is too old.
+Specifically, this means, is the loader old enough to require one or more
+workarounds in the current lua base modules.
 .El
 .Sh SEE ALSO
 .Xr loader.conf 5 ,