diff --git a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/CommonCompilerArguments.kt b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/CommonCompilerArguments.kt
index 2fdb52565a6..7589ee27dd8 100644
--- a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/CommonCompilerArguments.kt
+++ b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/CommonCompilerArguments.kt
@@ -574,6 +574,8 @@ abstract class CommonCompilerArguments : CommonToolArguments() {
             checkLanguageVersionIsStable(languageVersion, collector)
             checkOutdatedVersions(languageVersion, apiVersion, collector)
             checkProgressiveMode(languageVersion, collector)
+
+            checkIrSupport(languageVersionSettings, collector)
         }
 
         checkPlatformSpecificSettings(languageVersionSettings, collector)
@@ -652,6 +654,10 @@ abstract class CommonCompilerArguments : CommonToolArguments() {
     protected open fun checkPlatformSpecificSettings(languageVersionSettings: LanguageVersionSettings, collector: MessageCollector) {
     }
 
+    protected open fun checkIrSupport(languageVersionSettings: LanguageVersionSettings, collector: MessageCollector) {
+        // backend-specific
+    }
+
     private enum class VersionKind(val text: String) {
         LANGUAGE("Language"), API("API")
     }
diff --git a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/K2JSCompilerArguments.kt b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/K2JSCompilerArguments.kt
index d8d0ca6fe1f..0c4f47b2c01 100644
--- a/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/K2JSCompilerArguments.kt
+++ b/compiler/cli/cli-common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/arguments/K2JSCompilerArguments.kt
@@ -6,11 +6,10 @@
 package org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.common.arguments
 
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.common.arguments.K2JsArgumentConstants.*
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.common.messages.CompilerMessageSeverity
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.common.messages.MessageCollector
-import org.jetbrains.kotlin.config.AnalysisFlag
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.config.*
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.config.AnalysisFlags.allowFullyQualifiedNameInKClass
-import org.jetbrains.kotlin.config.LanguageFeature
-import org.jetbrains.kotlin.config.LanguageVersion
 
 class K2JSCompilerArguments : CommonCompilerArguments() {
     companion object {
@@ -257,6 +256,19 @@ class K2JSCompilerArguments : CommonCompilerArguments() {
         }
     }
 
+    override fun checkIrSupport(languageVersionSettings: LanguageVersionSettings, collector: MessageCollector) {
+        if (!isIrBackendEnabled()) return
+
+        if (languageVersionSettings.languageVersion < LanguageVersion.KOTLIN_1_4
+            || languageVersionSettings.apiVersion < ApiVersion.KOTLIN_1_4
+        ) {
+            collector.report(
+                CompilerMessageSeverity.ERROR,
+                "IR backend cannot be used with language or API version below 1.4"
+            )
+        }
+    }
+
     override fun configureLanguageFeatures(collector: MessageCollector): MutableMap<LanguageFeature, LanguageFeature.State> {
         return super.configureLanguageFeatures(collector).apply {
             if (extensionFunctionsInExternals) {
diff --git a/kotlin-native/backend.native/cli.bc/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/bc/K2NativeCompilerArguments.kt b/kotlin-native/backend.native/cli.bc/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/bc/K2NativeCompilerArguments.kt
index 2010cff7723..15458940189 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/backend.native/cli.bc/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/bc/K2NativeCompilerArguments.kt
+++ b/kotlin-native/backend.native/cli.bc/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/bc/K2NativeCompilerArguments.kt
@@ -371,6 +371,17 @@ class K2NativeCompilerArguments : CommonCompilerArguments() {
                 if (printIr)
                     phasesToDumpAfter = arrayOf("ALL")
             }
+
+    override fun checkIrSupport(languageVersionSettings: LanguageVersionSettings, collector: MessageCollector) {
+        if (languageVersionSettings.languageVersion < LanguageVersion.KOTLIN_1_4
+                || languageVersionSettings.apiVersion < ApiVersion.KOTLIN_1_4
+        ) {
+            collector.report(
+                    severity = CompilerMessageSeverity.ERROR,
+                    message = "Native backend cannot be used with language or API version below 1.4"
+            )
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 const val EMBED_BITCODE_FLAG = "-Xembed-bitcode"