diff --git a/pyterrier/__init__.py b/pyterrier/__init__.py
index 731b723e..e88cbf8b 100644
--- a/pyterrier/__init__.py
+++ b/pyterrier/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-__version__ = "0.7.2"
+__version__ = "0.8.0-alpha"
 
 import os
 from .bootstrap import _logging, setup_terrier, setup_jnius, is_windows
@@ -78,8 +78,7 @@ def init(version=None, mem=None, packages=[], jvm_opts=[], redirect_io=True, log
     import platform
     from packaging.version import Version
     if Version(platform.python_version()) < Version('3.7.0'):
-        from warnings import warn
-        warn("From PyTerrier 0.8, Python 3.7 will be required, you currently have %s" % platform.python_version())
+        raise RuntimeError("From PyTerrier 0.8, Python 3.7 minimum is required, you currently have %s" % platform.python_version())
 
     set_tqdm(tqdm)
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index afe2d8e0..07913e5c 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import sys
 
-assert sys.version_info[0] > 2, "Pyterrier requires Python 3.6"
+assert sys.version_info[0] > 2, "PyTerrier requires Python 3.7 minimum"
 
 import os
 try:
@@ -65,5 +65,5 @@ def get_version(rel_path):
         "Operating System :: OS Independent",
     ],
     install_requires=requirements,
-    python_requires='>=3.6',
+    python_requires='>=3.7',
 )