diff --git a/lib/notmuch.h b/lib/notmuch.h
index 310a8b8a..cb46fc05 100644
--- a/lib/notmuch.h
+++ b/lib/notmuch.h
@@ -59,8 +59,17 @@ NOTMUCH_BEGIN_DECLS
 #define LIBNOTMUCH_MINOR_VERSION	3
 #define LIBNOTMUCH_MICRO_VERSION	0
 
+
+#if defined (__clang_major__) && __clang_major__ >= 3 \
+    || defined (__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 5 \
+    || defined (__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ == 4 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 5
 #define NOTMUCH_DEPRECATED(major,minor) \
     __attribute__ ((deprecated ("function deprecated as of libnotmuch " #major "." #minor)))
+#else
+#define NOTMUCH_DEPRECATED(major,minor) __attribute__ ((deprecated))
+#endif
+
+
 #endif /* __DOXYGEN__ */
 
 /**