diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 0436cb1..0ee6f9a 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include <windows.h>
+#include <versionhelpers.h>
 #include <shlwapi.h>
 #include <wtsapi32.h>
 #include <prsht.h>
@@ -263,7 +264,7 @@ int WINAPI _tWinMain (HINSTANCE hThisInstance,
     exit(1);
   }
 
-  if (!IsUserAdmin() && strtod(o.ovpn_version, NULL) > 2.3 && !o.silent_connection)
+  if ((!IsUserAdmin() || IsWindows7OrGreater()) && strtod(o.ovpn_version, NULL) > 2.3 && !o.silent_connection)
     CheckIServiceStatus(TRUE);
 
   BuildFileList();
diff --git a/openvpn.c b/openvpn.c
index 533befd..9e23680 100644
--- a/openvpn.c
+++ b/openvpn.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 
 #include <windows.h>
 #include <windowsx.h>
+#include <versionhelpers.h>
 #include <tchar.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -1937,7 +1938,7 @@ StartOpenVPN(connection_t *c)
         (o.proxy_source != config ? _T("--management-query-proxy ") : _T("")));
 
     /* Try to open the service pipe */
-    if (!IsUserAdmin() && InitServiceIO (&c->iserv))
+    if ((!IsUserAdmin() || IsWindows7OrGreater()) && InitServiceIO (&c->iserv))
     {
         DWORD size = _tcslen(c->config_dir) + _tcslen(options) + sizeof(c->manage.password) + 3;
         TCHAR startup_info[1024];