diff --git a/itkwidgets/integrations/environment.py b/itkwidgets/integrations/environment.py
index 0b976b8..ffc8454 100644
--- a/itkwidgets/integrations/environment.py
+++ b/itkwidgets/integrations/environment.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from enum import Enum
 from importlib import import_module
+from packaging import version
+import importlib_metadata
 import sys
 
 
@@ -28,7 +30,6 @@ def find_env():
             else:
                 return Env.SAGEMAKER
         except:
-            import sys
             if sys.platform == 'emscripten':
                 return Env.JUPYTERLITE
             return Env.HYPHA
@@ -38,6 +39,15 @@ def find_env():
 
 if ENVIRONMENT is not Env.JUPYTERLITE and ENVIRONMENT is not Env.HYPHA:
     if ENVIRONMENT is not Env.COLAB:
+        if ENVIRONMENT is Env.JUPYTER_NOTEBOOK:
+            notebook_version = importlib_metadata.version('notebook')
+            if version.parse(notebook_version) < version.parse('7'):
+                raise RuntimeError('itkwidgets 1.0a51 and newer requires Jupyter notebook>=7.')
+        elif ENVIRONMENT is Env.JUPYTERLAB:
+            lab_version = importlib_metadata.version('jupyterlab')
+            if version.parse(lab_version) < version.parse('4'):
+                raise RuntimeError('itkwidgets 1.0a51 and newer requires jupyterlab>=4.')
+
         try:
             import_module("imjoy-jupyterlab-extension")
         except ModuleNotFoundError: