diff --git a/video/out/gl_common.c b/video/out/gl_common.c
index 3830f237f8..10e806dc8d 100644
--- a/video/out/gl_common.c
+++ b/video/out/gl_common.c
@@ -944,8 +944,13 @@ bool mpgl_config_window(struct MPGLContext *ctx, int gl_caps, uint32_t d_width,
 
         MP_WARN(ctx->vo, "Missing OpenGL features:");
         list_features(missing, ctx->vo->log, MSGL_WARN, false);
-        if (missing & MPGL_CAP_NO_SW)
+        if (missing & MPGL_CAP_NO_SW) {
             MP_WARN(ctx->vo, "Rejecting suspected software OpenGL renderer.\n");
+        } else if ((missing & MPGL_CAP_GL21) &&
+                   (ctx->gl->mpgl_caps & MPGL_CAP_GL_LEGACY))
+        {
+            MP_WARN(ctx->vo, "OpenGL version too old. Try: --vo=opengl-old\n");
+        }
     }
 
     MP_ERR(ctx->vo, "OpenGL context creation failed!\n");