diff --git a/lib/util/zmqutil.js b/lib/util/zmqutil.js
index ef316fcb..8c5fc39c 100644
--- a/lib/util/zmqutil.js
+++ b/lib/util/zmqutil.js
@@ -6,9 +6,18 @@
 
 var zmq = require('zmq')
 
+var log = require('./logger').createLogger('util:zmqutil')
+
 module.exports.socket = function() {
   var sock = zmq.socket.apply(zmq, arguments)
-  sock.setsockopt(zmq.ZMQ_TCP_KEEPALIVE, 1)
-  sock.setsockopt(zmq.ZMQ_TCP_KEEPALIVE_IDLE, 300000)
+
+  try {
+    sock.setsockopt(zmq.ZMQ_TCP_KEEPALIVE, 1)
+    sock.setsockopt(zmq.ZMQ_TCP_KEEPALIVE_IDLE, 300000)
+  }
+  catch (err) {
+    log.warn('ZeroMQ library too old, no support for TCP keepalive options')
+  }
+
   return sock
 }