diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 81aa99a48..d00ded104 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,6 +48,19 @@ if(APPLE)
     set(ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH} "$ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH}:/opt/local/lib/pkgconfig")
 endif()
 
+# check compiler version
+if("${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "GNU")
+    # require at least gcc 8
+    if (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_LESS 8)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "GCC version must be at least 8!")
+    endif()
+elseif ("${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "Clang")
+    # require at least clang 7
+    if (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_LESS 7)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "Clang version must be at least 7!")
+    endif()
+endif()
+
 include(FindPkgConfig)
 include(CheckIncludeFile)
 include(FeatureSummary)
diff --git a/include/villas/config.hpp b/include/villas/config.hpp
index 6f68629fa..b1454e3c4 100644
--- a/include/villas/config.hpp
+++ b/include/villas/config.hpp
@@ -25,23 +25,15 @@
 
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <unistd.h>
-
 #include <functional>
 #include <regex>
-#if __has_include(<filesystem>)
-  #include <filesystem>
-  namespace fs = std::filesystem;
-#elif __has_include(<experimental/filesystem>)
-  #include <experimental/filesystem>
-  namespace fs = std::experimental::filesystem;
-#else
-  error "Missing the <filesystem> header."
-#endif
+#include <filesystem>
 #include <jansson.h>
-
 #include <villas/node/config.h>
 #include <villas/log.hpp>
 
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+
 namespace villas {
 namespace node {
 
diff --git a/lib/config.cpp b/lib/config.cpp
index 94cf483aa..e98174f6f 100644
--- a/lib/config.cpp
+++ b/lib/config.cpp
@@ -23,21 +23,11 @@
 
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <libgen.h>
-
 #include <string>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <iomanip>
-#if __has_include(<filesystem>)
-  #include <filesystem>
-  namespace fs = std::filesystem;
-#elif __has_include(<experimental/filesystem>)
-  #include <experimental/filesystem>
-  namespace fs = std::experimental::filesystem;
-#else
-  error "Missing the <filesystem> header."
-#endif
-
+#include <filesystem>
 #include <villas/utils.hpp>
 #include <villas/log.hpp>
 #include <villas/config.hpp>
@@ -47,6 +37,7 @@
 
 using namespace villas;
 using namespace villas::node;
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
 
 Config::Config() :
 	logger(logging.get("config")),