diff --git a/config/prte_setup_pmix.m4 b/config/prte_setup_pmix.m4
index 321c5ff8ce..9e0acdcd46 100644
--- a/config/prte_setup_pmix.m4
+++ b/config/prte_setup_pmix.m4
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ AC_DEFUN([PRTE_CHECK_PMIX],[
     PRTE_FLAGS_APPEND_UNIQ(PRTE_FINAL_LDFLAGS, $prte_pmix_LDFLAGS)
     PRTE_FLAGS_APPEND_UNIQ(PRTE_FINAL_LIBS, $prte_pmix_LIBS)
 
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([PRTE_PMIX_MINIMUM_VERSION],
+                       [$prte_pmix_min_num_version],
+                       [Minimum supported PMIx version])
+
     found_pmixcc=0
     PMIXCC_PATH="pmixcc"
     AS_IF([test -n "${with_pmix}"],
diff --git a/src/docs/show-help-files/help-prted.rst b/src/docs/show-help-files/help-prted.rst
index 4012549155..2bb7407e15 100644
--- a/src/docs/show-help-files/help-prted.rst
+++ b/src/docs/show-help-files/help-prted.rst
@@ -275,15 +275,15 @@ is alive:
 
 [mpir-debugger-detected]
 
-PRTE has detected that you have attached a debugger to this MPI
+PRRTE has detected that you have attached a debugger to this MPI
 job, and that debugger is using the legacy "MPIR" method of
 attachment.
 
-Please note that PRTE has deprecated the "MPIR" debugger
+Please note that PRRTE has deprecated the "MPIR" debugger
 attachment method in favor of the new "PMIx" debugger attchment
 mechanisms.
 
-.. warning:: This means that future versions of PRTE may not support
+.. warning:: This means that future versions of PRRTE may not support
              the "MPIR" debugger attachment method at all.
              Specifically: the debugger you just attached may not work
              with future versions of PRTE.
@@ -305,3 +305,14 @@ set:
 
 Only one of these can be set |mdash| please fix the options and try
 again.
+
+[min-pmix-violation]
+
+PRRTE has detected that the PMIx library being used to run this
+executable does not meet the minimum supported version:
+
+  Min PMIx version: %0x
+  Detected version: %0x
+
+Please check your LD_LIBRARY_PATH and ensure we are pointed to
+a version that meets the minimum requirement.
diff --git a/src/prted/pmix/pmix_server.c b/src/prted/pmix/pmix_server.c
index 54c9ceee89..9f2db9ce9d 100644
--- a/src/prted/pmix/pmix_server.c
+++ b/src/prted/pmix/pmix_server.c
@@ -568,6 +568,7 @@ int pmix_server_init(void)
     pmix_data_array_t darray;
     pmix_info_t *info, myinf;
     size_t n, ninfo;
+    pmix_value_t *val;
     char *tmp;
     pmix_status_t prc;
     prte_pmix_lock_t lock;
@@ -829,6 +830,24 @@ int pmix_server_init(void)
     PMIX_INFO_FREE(info, ninfo);
     rc = PRTE_SUCCESS;
 
+#ifdef PMIX_VERSION_NUMERIC
+    /* find out what version of PMIx is being used - note that
+     * it is NOT an error to not be able to retrieve this
+     * value as it just means the PMIx library pre-dates
+     * introduction of the ability to retrieve the version */
+    prc = PMIx_Get(NULL, PMIX_VERSION_NUMERIC, NULL, 0, &val);
+    if (PMIX_SUCCESS == prc) {
+        // check the version
+        if (val->data.uint32 < PRTE_PMIX_MINIMUM_VERSION) {
+            pmix_show_help("help-prted.txt", "min-pmix-violation", true,
+                           PRTE_PMIX_MINIMUM_VERSION, val->data.uint32);
+            PMIX_VALUE_RELEASE(val);
+            return PRTE_ERR_SILENT;
+        }
+        PMIX_VALUE_RELEASE(val);
+    }
+#endif
+
     /* register our support */
     for (n = 0; 0 != strlen(prte_attributes[n].function); n++) {
         prc = PMIx_Register_attributes(prte_attributes[n].function, prte_attributes[n].attrs);