diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 813a2a6e63f..9ee5211347e 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ require (
 	go.uber.org/multierr v1.4.0 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/zap v1.12.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200510223506-06a226fb4e37
+	golang.org/x/mod v0.3.0
 	golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20200107190931-bf48bf16ab8d
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20200317015054-43a5402ce75a
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200523222454-059865788121
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index da560b812cd..60d36c085ca 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -941,6 +941,7 @@ github.com/rogpeppe/fastuuid v0.0.0-20150106093220-6724a57986af/go.mod h1:XWv6So
 github.com/rogpeppe/fastuuid v1.1.0/go.mod h1:jVj6XXZzXRy/MSR5jhDC/2q6DgLz+nrA6LYCDYWNEvQ=
 github.com/rogpeppe/fastuuid v1.2.0/go.mod h1:jVj6XXZzXRy/MSR5jhDC/2q6DgLz+nrA6LYCDYWNEvQ=
 github.com/rogpeppe/go-internal v1.3.0/go.mod h1:M8bDsm7K2OlrFYOpmOWEs/qY81heoFRclV5y23lUDJ4=
+github.com/rogpeppe/go-internal v1.5.2 h1:qLvObTrvO/XRCqmkKxUlOBc48bI3efyDuAZe25QiF0w=
 github.com/rogpeppe/go-internal v1.5.2/go.mod h1:xXDCJY+GAPziupqXw64V24skbSoqbTEfhy4qGm1nDQc=
 github.com/rubiojr/go-vhd v0.0.0-20160810183302-0bfd3b39853c/go.mod h1:DM5xW0nvfNNm2uytzsvhI3OnX8uzaRAg8UX/CnDqbto=
 github.com/russross/blackfriday v1.5.2 h1:HyvC0ARfnZBqnXwABFeSZHpKvJHJJfPz81GNueLj0oo=
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/deploy/kpt/kpt.go b/pkg/skaffold/deploy/kpt/kpt.go
index 982f8a888d9..8d038c8b148 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/deploy/kpt/kpt.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/deploy/kpt/kpt.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 
+	"golang.org/x/mod/semver"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/fn/framework"
 	k8syaml "sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
@@ -49,6 +50,13 @@ const (
 	tmpKustomizeDir   = ".kustomize"
 	kptFnAnnotation   = "config.kubernetes.io/function"
 	kptFnLocalConfig  = "config.kubernetes.io/local-config"
+
+	kptDownloadLink = "https://googlecontainertools.github.io/kpt/installation/"
+	kptMinVersion   = "0.34.0"
+
+	kustomizeDownloadLink  = "https://kubernetes-sigs.github.io/kustomize/installation/"
+	kustomizeMinVersion    = "v3.2.3"
+	kustomizeVersionRegexP = `{Version:(\S+) GitCommit:\S+ BuildDate:\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T\d\d:\d\d:\d\dZ GoOs:\S+ GoArch:\S+}`
 )
 
 // Deployer deploys workflows with kpt CLI
@@ -70,10 +78,65 @@ func NewDeployer(cfg types.Config, labels map[string]string) *Deployer {
 	}
 }
 
+var sanityCheck = versionCheck
+
+// sanityCheck guarantees the kpt and kustomize versions are compatible with skaffold.
+func versionCheck(dir string) error {
+	kptCmd := exec.Command("kpt", "version")
+	out, err := util.RunCmdOut(kptCmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("kpt is not installed yet\nSee kpt installation: %v",
+			kptDownloadLink)
+	}
+	version := strings.TrimSuffix(string(out), "\n")
+	// kpt follows semver but does not have "v" prefix.
+	if !semver.IsValid("v" + version) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unknown kpt version %v\nPlease upgrade your "+
+			"local kpt CLI to a version >= %v\nSee kpt installation: %v",
+			string(out), kptMinVersion, kptDownloadLink)
+	}
+	if semver.Compare("v"+version, "v"+kptMinVersion) < 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("you are using kpt %q\nPlease update your kpt version to"+
+			" >= %v\nSee kpt installation: %v", version[0], kptMinVersion, kptDownloadLink)
+	}
+
+	// Users can choose not to use kustomize in kpt deployer mode. We only check the kustomize
+	// version when kustomization.yaml config is directed under .deploy.kpt.dir path.
+	_, err = kustomize.FindKustomizationConfig(dir)
+	if err == nil {
+		kustomizeCmd := exec.Command("kustomize", "version")
+		out, err := util.RunCmdOut(kustomizeCmd)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("kustomize is not installed yet\nSee kpt installation: %v",
+				kustomizeDownloadLink)
+		}
+		versionInfo := strings.TrimSuffix(string(out), "\n")
+		// Kustomize version information is in the form of
+		// {Version:$VERSION GitCommit:$COMMIT BuildDate:1970-01-01T00:00:00Z GoOs:darwin GoArch:amd64}
+		re := regexp.MustCompile(kustomizeVersionRegexP)
+		match := re.FindStringSubmatch(versionInfo)
+		if len(match) != 2 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("unknown kustomize version %v\nPlease upgrade your "+
+				"local kustomize CLI to a version >= %v\nSee kustomize installation: %v",
+				string(out), kustomizeMinVersion, kustomizeDownloadLink)
+		}
+		if !semver.IsValid(match[1]) || semver.Compare(match[1], kustomizeMinVersion) < 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("you are using kustomize %q\n"+
+				"Please update your kustomize version to >= %v\n"+
+				"See kustomize installation: %v", match[1], kustomizeMinVersion,
+				kustomizeDownloadLink)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Deploy hydrates the manifests using kustomizations and kpt functions as described in the render method,
 // outputs them to the applyDir, and runs `kpt live apply` against applyDir to create resources in the cluster.
 // `kpt live apply` supports automated pruning declaratively via resources in the applyDir.
 func (k *Deployer) Deploy(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, builds []build.Artifact) ([]string, error) {
+	if err := sanityCheck(k.Dir); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	flags, err := k.getKptFnRunArgs()
 	if err != nil {
 		return []string{}, err
@@ -166,6 +229,9 @@ func (k *Deployer) Cleanup(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer) error {
 
 // Render hydrates manifests using both kustomization and kpt functions.
 func (k *Deployer) Render(ctx context.Context, out io.Writer, builds []build.Artifact, _ bool, filepath string) error {
+	if err := sanityCheck(k.Dir); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	flags, err := k.getKptFnRunArgs()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/deploy/kpt/kpt_test.go b/pkg/skaffold/deploy/kpt/kpt_test.go
index 076c2fd889e..efb231c71ad 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/deploy/kpt/kpt_test.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/deploy/kpt/kpt_test.go
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ func TestKpt_Deploy(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	for _, test := range tests {
+		sanityCheck = func(dir string) error { return nil }
 		testutil.Run(t, test.description, func(t *testutil.T) {
 			t.Override(&util.DefaultExecCommand, test.commands)
 			tmpDir := t.NewTempDir().Chdir()
@@ -229,7 +230,6 @@ func TestKpt_Deploy(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			_, err := k.Deploy(context.Background(), ioutil.Discard, test.builds)
-
 			t.CheckError(test.shouldErr, err)
 		})
 	}
@@ -1015,6 +1015,108 @@ spec:
 	}
 }
 
+func TestVersionCheck(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		description    string
+		commands       util.Command
+		kustomizations map[string]string
+		shouldErr      bool
+		error          error
+	}{
+		{
+			description: "Both kpt and kustomize versions are good",
+			commands: testutil.
+				CmdRunOut("kpt version", `0.34.0`).
+				AndRunOut("kustomize version", `{Version:v3.6.1 GitCommit:a0072a2cf92bf5399565e84c621e1e7c5c1f1094 BuildDate:2020-06-15T20:19:07Z GoOs:darwin GoArch:amd64}`),
+			kustomizations: map[string]string{"Kustomization": `resources:
+				- foo.yaml`},
+			shouldErr: false,
+			error:     nil,
+		},
+		{
+			description: "kpt is not installed",
+			commands:    testutil.CmdRunOutErr("kpt version", "", errors.New("BUG")),
+			shouldErr:   true,
+			error: fmt.Errorf("kpt is not installed yet\nSee kpt installation: %v",
+				kptDownloadLink),
+		},
+		{
+			description: "kustomize is not used, kpt version is good",
+			commands: testutil.
+				CmdRunOut("kpt version", `0.34.0`),
+			shouldErr: false,
+			error:     nil,
+		},
+		{
+			description: "kustomize is used but not installed",
+			commands: testutil.
+				CmdRunOut("kpt version", `0.34.0`).
+				AndRunOutErr("kustomize version", "", errors.New("BUG")),
+			kustomizations: map[string]string{"Kustomization": `resources:
+				- foo.yaml`},
+			shouldErr: true,
+			error: fmt.Errorf("kustomize is not installed yet\nSee kpt installation: %v",
+				kustomizeDownloadLink),
+		},
+		{
+			description: "kpt version is too old (<0.34.0)",
+			commands: testutil.
+				CmdRunOut("kpt version", `0.1.0`),
+			kustomizations: map[string]string{"Kustomization": `resources:
+				- foo.yaml`},
+			shouldErr: true,
+			error: fmt.Errorf("you are using kpt \"0.1.0\"\n"+
+				"Please update your kpt version to >= %v\nSee kpt installation: %v",
+				kptMinVersion, kptDownloadLink),
+		},
+		{
+			description: "kpt version is unknown",
+			commands: testutil.
+				CmdRunOut("kpt version", `unknown`),
+			kustomizations: map[string]string{"Kustomization": `resources:
+				- foo.yaml`},
+			shouldErr: true,
+			error: fmt.Errorf("unknown kpt version unknown\nPlease upgrade your "+
+				"local kpt CLI to a version >= %v\nSee kpt installation: %v",
+				kptMinVersion, kptDownloadLink),
+		},
+		{
+			description: "kustomize versions is too old (< v3.2.3)",
+			commands: testutil.
+				CmdRunOut("kpt version", `0.34.0`).
+				AndRunOut("kustomize version", `{Version:v0.0.1 GitCommit:a0072a2cf92bf5399565e84c621e1e7c5c1f1094 BuildDate:2020-06-15T20:19:07Z GoOs:darwin GoArch:amd64}`),
+			kustomizations: map[string]string{"Kustomization": `resources:
+				- foo.yaml`},
+			shouldErr: true,
+			error: fmt.Errorf("you are using kustomize \"v0.0.1\"\n"+
+				"Please update your kustomize version to >= %v\n"+
+				"See kustomize installation: %v", kustomizeMinVersion, kustomizeDownloadLink),
+		},
+		{
+			description: "kustomize versions is unknown",
+			commands: testutil.
+				CmdRunOut("kpt version", `0.34.0`).
+				AndRunOut("kustomize version", `{Version:unknown GitCommit:a0072a2cf92bf5399565e84c621e1e7c5c1f1094 BuildDate:2020-06-15T20:19:07Z GoOs:darwin GoArch:amd64}`),
+			kustomizations: map[string]string{"Kustomization": `resources:
+				- foo.yaml`},
+			shouldErr: true,
+			error: fmt.Errorf("unknown kustomize version unknown\nPlease upgrade your "+
+				"local kustomize CLI to a version >= %v\nSee kustomize installation: %v",
+				kustomizeMinVersion, kustomizeDownloadLink),
+		},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		testutil.Run(t, test.description, func(t *testutil.T) {
+			t.Override(&util.DefaultExecCommand, test.commands)
+			tmpDir := t.NewTempDir().Chdir()
+			tmpDir.WriteFiles(test.kustomizations)
+			err := versionCheck("")
+			t.CheckError(test.shouldErr, err)
+		})
+		testutil.CheckError(t, test.shouldErr, test.error)
+	}
+}
+
 type kptConfig struct {
 	runcontext.RunContext // Embedded to provide the default values.
 	workingDir            string
diff --git a/vendor/modules.txt b/vendor/modules.txt
index 43c3d7de483..47125fd5c37 100644
--- a/vendor/modules.txt
+++ b/vendor/modules.txt
@@ -544,6 +544,7 @@ golang.org/x/crypto/ssh/terminal
 golang.org/x/lint
 golang.org/x/lint/golint
 # golang.org/x/mod v0.3.0
+## explicit
 golang.org/x/mod/module
 golang.org/x/mod/semver
 # golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200520182314-0ba52f642ac2