diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/utils/providerApiUtils.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/utils/providerApiUtils.kt
index 0d74d90300f..131d218e850 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/utils/providerApiUtils.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/utils/providerApiUtils.kt
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 package org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.utils
 
 import org.gradle.api.Project
-import org.gradle.api.file.RegularFileProperty
 import org.gradle.api.file.RegularFile
+import org.gradle.api.file.RegularFileProperty
 import org.gradle.api.provider.Property
 import org.gradle.api.provider.Provider
 import java.io.File
@@ -38,9 +38,17 @@ private class OptionalProviderDelegate<T>(private val provider: Provider<T?>) :
 internal fun <T> Project.optionalProvider(initialize: () -> T?): ReadOnlyProperty<Any?, T?> =
     OptionalProviderDelegate(provider(initialize))
 
+// Before 5.0 fileProperty is created via ProjectLayout
+// https://docs.gradle.org/current/javadoc/org/gradle/api/model/ObjectFactory.html#fileProperty--
 internal fun Project.newFileProperty(initialize: (() -> File)? = null): RegularFileProperty =
-    project.objects.fileProperty().apply {
-        if (initialize != null) {
-            set(provider { RegularFile(initialize) })
+    if (isGradleVersionAtLeast(5, 0)) {
+        project.objects.fileProperty().apply {
+            if (initialize != null) {
+                set(provider { RegularFile(initialize) })
+            }
         }
+    } else {
+        val projectLayoutClass = Class.forName("org.gradle.api.file.ProjectLayout")
+        val filePropertyMethod = projectLayoutClass.getMethod("fileProperty")
+        filePropertyMethod(project.layout) as RegularFileProperty
     }
\ No newline at end of file