diff --git a/include/boost/gil/extension/io/png_tags.hpp b/include/boost/gil/extension/io/png_tags.hpp
index 2b003b67b..d6eac99d3 100644
--- a/include/boost/gil/extension/io/png_tags.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/gil/extension/io/png_tags.hpp
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@
     }
 #endif
 
+#if PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MAJOR == 1
+#if PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MINOR <= 4
+#define BOOST_GIL_IO_PNG_1_4_OR_LOWER
+#endif // PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MAJOR == 1
+#endif // PNG_LIBPNG_VER_MINOR <= 4
 
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>