diff --git a/api/include/opentelemetry/version.h b/api/include/opentelemetry/version.h
index 7b9fa1da02..b1c61ebff9 100644
--- a/api/include/opentelemetry/version.h
+++ b/api/include/opentelemetry/version.h
@@ -6,6 +6,20 @@
 #include "opentelemetry/common/macros.h"
 #include "opentelemetry/detail/preprocessor.h"
 
+#if defined(OPENTELEMETRY_STL_VERSION)
+#  if (!defined(_MSVC_LANG) && OPENTELEMETRY_STL_VERSION > (__cplusplus / 100)) || \
+      (defined(_MSVC_LANG) && OPENTELEMETRY_STL_VERSION > (_MSVC_LANG / 100))
+#    if defined(_MSVC_LANG)
+#      pragma message OPENTELEMETRY_STRINGIFY( \
+          OPENTELEMETRY_STL_VERSION) " vs. " OPENTELEMETRY_STRINGIFY(_MSVC_LANG)
+#    else
+#      pragma message OPENTELEMETRY_STRINGIFY( \
+          OPENTELEMETRY_STL_VERSION) " vs. " OPENTELEMETRY_STRINGIFY(__cplusplus)
+#    endif
+#    error "OPENTELEMETRY_STL_VERSION is set to a version newer than the curent C++ version."
+#  endif
+#endif
+
 #ifndef OPENTELEMETRY_ABI_VERSION_NO
 #  define OPENTELEMETRY_ABI_VERSION_NO 1
 #endif