diff --git a/devstack/lib/ovs b/devstack/lib/ovs
index 287e3e48dff..6112a71661d 100644
--- a/devstack/lib/ovs
+++ b/devstack/lib/ovs
@@ -31,6 +31,20 @@ function load_module {
     fi
 }
 
+# is_kernel_supported_for_ovs25() - compilation of openvswitch 2.5 kernel module
+#                                   supports only kernels up to 4.3.x, function
+#                                   determines whether compilation from source
+#                                   will succeed on this machine
+function is_kernel_supported_for_ovs25 {
+    major=$(uname -r | cut -d\. -f 1)
+    minor=$(uname -r | cut -d\. -f 2)
+    if [ $major -le 4 -a $minor -le 3 ]; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    return 1
+}
+
 # compile_ovs() - Compile OVS from source and load needed modules.
 #                 Accepts two parameters:
 #                   - first one is True, modules are built and installed.
diff --git a/neutron/tests/contrib/gate_hook.sh b/neutron/tests/contrib/gate_hook.sh
index f993c63ce47..52e51ecb711 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/contrib/gate_hook.sh
+++ b/neutron/tests/contrib/gate_hook.sh
@@ -44,14 +44,16 @@ case $VENV in
 
     configure_host_for_func_testing
 
-    # The OVS_BRANCH variable is used by git checkout. In the case below,
-    # we use a current (2016-08-19) HEAD commit from branch-2.5 that contains
-    # a fix for usage of VXLAN tunnels on a single node:
-    # https://github.com/openvswitch/ovs/commit/741f47cf35df2bfc7811b2cff75c9bb8d05fd26f
-    OVS_BRANCH=042326c3fcf61e8638fa15926f984ce5ae142f4b
-    remove_ovs_packages
-    compile_ovs True /usr /var
-    start_new_ovs
+    if is_kernel_supported_for_ovs25; then
+        # The OVS_BRANCH variable is used by git checkout. In the case below,
+        # we use a current (2016-08-19) HEAD commit from branch-2.5 that contains
+        # a fix for usage of VXLAN tunnels on a single node:
+        # https://github.com/openvswitch/ovs/commit/741f47cf35df2bfc7811b2cff75c9bb8d05fd26f
+        OVS_BRANCH=042326c3fcf61e8638fa15926f984ce5ae142f4b
+        remove_ovs_packages
+        compile_ovs True /usr /var
+        start_new_ovs
+    fi
 
     load_conf_hook iptables_verify
     # Make the workspace owned by the stack user