diff --git a/CHANGES/2813.bugfix b/CHANGES/2813.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fee66c8f607
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGES/2813.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Restore a imperative check in ``setup.py`` for python version. The
+check works in parallel to environment marker. As effect a error about
+unsupported Python versions is raised even on outdated systems with
+very old ``setuptools`` version installed.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 4220ac931da..0a5142d3a77 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@
 from setuptools.command.test import test as TestCommand
 
 
+if sys.version_info < (3, 5, 3):
+    raise RuntimeError("aiohttp 3.x requires Python 3.5.3+")
+
+
 try:
     from Cython.Build import cythonize
     USE_CYTHON = True