diff --git a/library/PluginManager.cpp b/library/PluginManager.cpp
index e1ef64586..b19b487cd 100644
--- a/library/PluginManager.cpp
+++ b/library/PluginManager.cpp
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ bool Plugin::load(color_ostream &con)
     plugin_check_symbol("plugin_self")
     plugin_check_symbol("plugin_init")
     plugin_check_symbol("plugin_globals")
-    plugin_check_symbol("git_description")
     const char ** plug_name =(const char ** ) LookupPlugin(plug, "name");
     const char ** plug_version =(const char ** ) LookupPlugin(plug, "version");
     const char ** plug_git_description = (const char**) LookupPlugin(plug, "git_description");
@@ -244,9 +243,14 @@ bool Plugin::load(color_ostream &con)
         plugin_abort_load;
         return false;
     }
-    if (strcmp(dfhack_git_desc, *plug_git_description) != 0)
-        con.printerr("Warning: Plugin %s compiled for DFHack %s, running DFHack %s\n",
-            *plug_name, *plug_git_description, dfhack_git_desc);
+    if (plug_git_description)
+    {
+        if (strcmp(dfhack_git_desc, *plug_git_description) != 0)
+            con.printerr("Warning: Plugin %s compiled for DFHack %s, running DFHack %s\n",
+                *plug_name, *plug_git_description, dfhack_git_desc);
+    }
+    else
+        con.printerr("Warning: Plugin %s missing git information\n", *plug_name);
     bool *plug_dev = (bool*)LookupPlugin(plug, "plugin_dev");
     if (plug_dev && *plug_dev && getenv("DFHACK_NO_DEV_PLUGINS"))
     {