diff --git a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py
index 31b2b1053b..f7207a2b95 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@ def list_aggregate(function):
     return type('ListAggregate', (list,), {'finalize': function, 'step': list.append})
 
 
+def check_sqlite_version():
+    if Database.sqlite_version_info < (3, 8, 3):
+        raise ImproperlyConfigured('SQLite 3.8.3 or later is required (found %s).' % Database.sqlite_version)
+
+
+check_sqlite_version()
+
 Database.register_converter("bool", b'1'.__eq__)
 Database.register_converter("time", decoder(parse_time))
 Database.register_converter("datetime", decoder(parse_datetime))
diff --git a/tests/backends/sqlite/tests.py b/tests/backends/sqlite/tests.py
index c681d39775..e53d453ed5 100644
--- a/tests/backends/sqlite/tests.py
+++ b/tests/backends/sqlite/tests.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 import re
 import threading
 import unittest
+from sqlite3 import dbapi2
+from unittest import mock
 
+from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 from django.db import connection, transaction
+from django.db.backends.sqlite3.base import check_sqlite_version
 from django.db.models import Avg, StdDev, Sum, Variance
 from django.db.models.aggregates import Aggregate
 from django.db.models.fields import CharField
@@ -19,6 +23,13 @@ from ..models import Author, Item, Object, Square
 class Tests(TestCase):
     longMessage = True
 
+    def test_check_sqlite_version(self):
+        msg = 'SQLite 3.8.3 or later is required (found 3.8.2).'
+        with mock.patch.object(dbapi2, 'sqlite_version_info', (3, 8, 2)), \
+                mock.patch.object(dbapi2, 'sqlite_version', '3.8.2'), \
+                self.assertRaisesMessage(ImproperlyConfigured, msg):
+            check_sqlite_version()
+
     def test_aggregation(self):
         """
         Raise NotImplementedError when aggregating on date/time fields (#19360).