diff --git a/models/common.py b/models/common.py
index cfecb20d2141..4fd608f4b3e2 100644
--- a/models/common.py
+++ b/models/common.py
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
 from torch.cuda import amp
 
 from utils.datasets import exif_transpose, letterbox
-from utils.general import (LOGGER, check_requirements, check_suffix, colorstr, increment_path, make_divisible,
-                           non_max_suppression, scale_coords, xywh2xyxy, xyxy2xywh)
+from utils.general import (LOGGER, check_requirements, check_suffix, check_version, colorstr, increment_path,
+                           make_divisible, non_max_suppression, scale_coords, xywh2xyxy, xyxy2xywh)
 from utils.plots import Annotator, colors, save_one_box
 from utils.torch_utils import copy_attr, time_sync
 
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ def __init__(self, weights='yolov5s.pt', device=None, dnn=False):
         elif engine:  # TensorRT
             LOGGER.info(f'Loading {w} for TensorRT inference...')
             import tensorrt as trt  # https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-tensorrt-download
+            check_version(trt.__version__, '8.0.0', verbose=True)  # version requirement
             Binding = namedtuple('Binding', ('name', 'dtype', 'shape', 'data', 'ptr'))
             logger = trt.Logger(trt.Logger.INFO)
             with open(w, 'rb') as f, trt.Runtime(logger) as runtime:
diff --git a/utils/general.py b/utils/general.py
index 1da8a147510e..7ff397fb4caa 100755
--- a/utils/general.py
+++ b/utils/general.py
@@ -248,14 +248,16 @@ def check_python(minimum='3.6.2'):
     check_version(platform.python_version(), minimum, name='Python ', hard=True)
 
 
-def check_version(current='0.0.0', minimum='0.0.0', name='version ', pinned=False, hard=False):
+def check_version(current='0.0.0', minimum='0.0.0', name='version ', pinned=False, hard=False, verbose=False):
     # Check version vs. required version
     current, minimum = (pkg.parse_version(x) for x in (current, minimum))
     result = (current == minimum) if pinned else (current >= minimum)  # bool
-    if hard:  # assert min requirements met
-        assert result, f'{name}{minimum} required by YOLOv5, but {name}{current} is currently installed'
-    else:
-        return result
+    s = f'{name}{minimum} required by YOLOv5, but {name}{current} is currently installed'  # string
+    if hard:
+        assert result, s  # assert min requirements met
+    if verbose and not result:
+        LOGGER.warning(s)
+    return result
 
 
 @try_except