diff --git a/command/taint.go b/command/taint.go
index 97464994c..4c8d0f93f 100644
--- a/command/taint.go
+++ b/command/taint.go
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@ package command
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/addrs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/command/clistate"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/states"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/tfdiags"
 )
 
@@ -62,6 +64,34 @@ func (c *TaintCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
+	// Load the config and check the core version requirements are satisfied
+	loader, err := c.initConfigLoader()
+	if err != nil {
+		diags = diags.Append(err)
+		c.showDiagnostics(diags)
+		return 1
+	}
+
+	pwd, err := os.Getwd()
+	if err != nil {
+		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error getting pwd: %s", err))
+		return 1
+	}
+
+	config, configDiags := loader.LoadConfig(pwd)
+	diags = diags.Append(configDiags)
+	if diags.HasErrors() {
+		c.showDiagnostics(diags)
+		return 1
+	}
+
+	versionDiags := terraform.CheckCoreVersionRequirements(config)
+	diags = diags.Append(versionDiags)
+	if diags.HasErrors() {
+		c.showDiagnostics(diags)
+		return 1
+	}
+
 	// Load the backend
 	b, backendDiags := c.Backend(nil)
 	diags = diags.Append(backendDiags)
diff --git a/command/taint_test.go b/command/taint_test.go
index 80816b837..30e60e014 100644
--- a/command/taint_test.go
+++ b/command/taint_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mitchellh/cli"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/addrs"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/copy"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/states"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
 )
@@ -407,6 +408,57 @@ func TestTaint_module(t *testing.T) {
 	testStateOutput(t, statePath, testTaintModuleStr)
 }
 
+func TestTaint_checkRequiredVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a temporary working directory that is empty
+	td := tempDir(t)
+	copy.CopyDir(testFixturePath("taint-check-required-version"), td)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(td)
+	defer testChdir(t, td)()
+
+	// Write the temp state
+	state := &terraform.State{
+		Modules: []*terraform.ModuleState{
+			{
+				Path: []string{"root"},
+				Resources: map[string]*terraform.ResourceState{
+					"test_instance.foo": {
+						Type: "test_instance",
+						Primary: &terraform.InstanceState{
+							ID: "bar",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	path := testStateFileDefault(t, state)
+
+	ui := cli.NewMockUi()
+	c := &TaintCommand{
+		Meta: Meta{
+			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(testProvider()),
+			Ui:               ui,
+		},
+	}
+
+	args := []string{"test_instance.foo"}
+	if code := c.Run(args); code != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("got exit status %d; want 1\nstderr:\n%s\n\nstdout:\n%s", code, ui.ErrorWriter.String(), ui.OutputWriter.String())
+	}
+
+	// State is unchanged
+	testStateOutput(t, path, testTaintDefaultStr)
+
+	// Required version diags are correct
+	errStr := ui.ErrorWriter.String()
+	if !strings.Contains(errStr, `required_version = "~> 0.9.0"`) {
+		t.Fatalf("output should point to unmet version constraint, but is:\n\n%s", errStr)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(errStr, `required_version = ">= 0.13.0"`) {
+		t.Fatalf("output should not point to met version constraint, but is:\n\n%s", errStr)
+	}
+}
+
 const testTaintStr = `
 test_instance.foo: (tainted)
   ID = bar
diff --git a/command/testdata/taint-check-required-version/main.tf b/command/testdata/taint-check-required-version/main.tf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f3f71a6ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/command/testdata/taint-check-required-version/main.tf
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+terraform {
+  required_version = "~> 0.9.0"
+}
+
+terraform {
+  required_version = ">= 0.13.0"
+}