diff --git a/cookiecutter.json b/cookiecutter.json
index 36aa3c30..65879a69 100644
--- a/cookiecutter.json
+++ b/cookiecutter.json
@@ -21,5 +21,6 @@
     "use_docker": "y",
     "use_heroku": "n",
     "use_grunt": "n",
-    "open_source_license": ["MIT", "BSD", "Apache Software License 2.0", "Not open source"]
+    "open_source_license": ["MIT", "BSD", "Apache Software License 2.0", "Not open source"],
+    "_cookiecutter_version": "Minimum cookiecutter version"
 }
diff --git a/hooks/pre_gen_project.py b/hooks/pre_gen_project.py
index 3dfc190a..9cd168bc 100644
--- a/hooks/pre_gen_project.py
+++ b/hooks/pre_gen_project.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-import cookiecutter
-
 project_slug = '{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}'
 
 if hasattr(project_slug, 'isidentifier'):
     assert project_slug.isidentifier(), 'Project slug should be valid Python identifier!'
 
-assert cookiecutter.__version__ > '1.3.0', 'Please upgrade your Cookiecutter installation'
+