diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 42416a42..cfcc8d1f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ AC_SYS_LARGEFILE
 AC_PROG_AWK
 AC_PROG_CC_C99
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
-AC_CHECK_PROGS([PYTHON], [python2.7 python2.6 python2.5 python2 python], [false])
+AC_CHECK_PROGS([PYTHON], [python2.7 python2 python], [false])
 AC_PATH_PROGS([BASH_SHELL], [bash bash4], [false])
 
 # check for perl 5.10.1 (needed by makepkg-template)
diff --git a/test/pacman/pactest.py b/test/pacman/pactest.py
index d39fcaa5..e21cde7e 100755
--- a/test/pacman/pactest.py
+++ b/test/pacman/pactest.py
@@ -77,6 +77,12 @@ def create_parser():
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+
+    if sys.hexversion < 0x02070000:
+        # bailing now with clear message better than mid-run with unhelpful one
+        tap.bail("Python versions before 2.7 are not supported.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
     # instantiate env and parser objects
     root_path = tempfile.mkdtemp()
     env = pmenv.pmenv(root=root_path)