diff --git a/plugin/ale/aaflags.vim b/plugin/ale/aaflags.vim
index f18dcc4..56ed417 100644
--- a/plugin/ale/aaflags.vim
+++ b/plugin/ale/aaflags.vim
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ endif
 
 let g:loaded_ale_flags = 1
 
+" A flag for detecting if the required features are set.
+if has('nvim')
+    let g:ale_has_required_features = has('timers')
+else
+    let g:ale_has_required_features = has('timers') && has('job') && has('channel')
+endif
+
 " This flag can be set to 0 to disable linting when text is changed.
 let g:ale_lint_on_text_changed = get(g:, 'ale_lint_on_text_changed', 1)
 
@@ -45,7 +52,7 @@ let g:ale_sign_column_always = get(g:, 'ale_sign_column_always', 0)
 " * The 1st element is for errors
 " * The 2nd element is for warnings
 " * The 3rd element is when there are no errors
-let g:ale_statusline_format = get(g:, 'ale_statusline_format', 
+let g:ale_statusline_format = get(g:, 'ale_statusline_format',
 \   ['%d error(s)', '%d warning(s)', 'OK']
 \)
 
diff --git a/plugin/ale/cursor.vim b/plugin/ale/cursor.vim
index 24f1f18..0615971 100644
--- a/plugin/ale/cursor.vim
+++ b/plugin/ale/cursor.vim
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function! ale#cursor#EchoCursorWarningWithDelay()
     let s:cursor_timer = timer_start(10, function('ale#cursor#EchoCursorWarning'))
 endfunction
 
-if g:ale_echo_cursor
+if g:ale_has_required_features && g:ale_echo_cursor
     augroup ALECursorGroup
         autocmd!
         autocmd CursorMoved,CursorHold * call ale#cursor#EchoCursorWarningWithDelay()
diff --git a/plugin/ale/zmain.vim b/plugin/ale/zmain.vim
index a918f66..117f735 100644
--- a/plugin/ale/zmain.vim
+++ b/plugin/ale/zmain.vim
@@ -407,9 +407,9 @@ endfunction
 " Load all of the linters for each filetype.
 runtime! ale_linters/*/*.vim
 
-if !has('nvim') && !(has('timers') && has('job') && has('channel'))
-    echoerr 'ALE requires NeoVim or Vim 8 with +timers +job +channel'
-    echoerr 'ALE will not be run automatically'
+if !g:ale_has_required_features
+    echoerr 'ALE requires NeoVim >= 0.1.5 or Vim 8 with +timers +job +channel'
+    echoerr 'Please update your editor appropriately.'
     finish
 endif