diff --git a/extension/extension.js b/extension/extension.js
--- a/extension/extension.js
+++ b/extension/extension.js
@@ -181,3 +181,7 @@
 addRuntimeCallback("settings", "openKRunnerSettings", function () {
     sendPortMessage("settings", "openKRunnerSettings");
 });
+
+addRuntimeCallback("settings", "getSubsystemStatus", (message, sender, action) => {
+    return sendPortMessageWithReply("settings", "getSubsystemStatus");
+});
diff --git a/extension/options.html b/extension/options.html
--- a/extension/options.html
+++ b/extension/options.html
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 </ul>
 
 <div class="tab active" data-tab-id="general">
-    <p class="not-supported-info" data-i18n="options_not_supported_os">I18N</p>
+    <p class="os-not-supported-info" data-i18n="options_not_supported_os">I18N</p>
 
     <ul id="extensions-selection">
         <li>
diff --git a/extension/options.css b/extension/options.css
--- a/extension/options.css
+++ b/extension/options.css
@@ -4,16 +4,20 @@
     overflow: hidden;
 }
 
-.not-supported-info {
+.os-not-supported-info {
     display: none;
 }
-body.not-supported .not-supported-info {
+body.os-not-supported .os-not-supported-info {
     display: block;
 }
-body.not-supported #extensions-selection {
+body.os-not-supported #extensions-selection {
     display: none;
 }
 
+.not-supported {
+    display: none !important;
+}
+
 .tabbar {
     display: block;
     padding: 0;
diff --git a/extension/options.js b/extension/options.js
--- a/extension/options.js
+++ b/extension/options.js
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
     // check whether the platform is supported before loading and activating settings
     chrome.runtime.getPlatformInfo(function (info) {
         if (!SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS.includes(info.os)) {
-            document.body.classList.add("not-supported");
+            document.body.classList.add("os-not-supported");
             return;
         }
 
@@ -194,6 +194,41 @@
             });
             mprisEx.disabled = !mpris.checked;
         });
+
+        // When getSubsystemStatus fails we assume it's an old host without any of the new features
+        // for which we added the requires-extension attributes. Disable all of them initially
+        // and then have the supported ones enabled below.
+        document.querySelectorAll("[data-requires-extension]").forEach((item) => {
+            item.classList.add("not-supported", "by-host");
+        });
+
+        sendMessage("settings", "getSubsystemStatus").then((status) => {
+            document.querySelectorAll("[data-requires-extension]").forEach((item) => {
+                let requiresExtension = item.dataset.requiresExtension;
+
+                if (requiresExtension && !status.hasOwnProperty(requiresExtension)) {
+                    console.log("Extension", requiresExtension, "is not supported by this version of the host");
+                    return; // continue
+                }
+
+                let requiresMinimumVersion = Number(item.dataset.requiresExtensionVersionMinimum);
+                if (requiresMinimumVersion) {
+                    let runningVersion = status[requiresExtension].version;
+                    if (runningVersion < requiresMinimumVersion) {
+                        console.log("Extension", requiresExtension, "of version", requiresMinimumVersion, "is required but only", runningVersion, "is present in the host");
+                        return; // continue
+                    }
+                }
+
+                item.classList.remove("not-supported", "by-host");
+            });
+        }).catch((e) => {
+            // The host is most likely not working correctly
+            // If we run this against an older host which doesn't support message replies
+            // this handler is never entered, so we really encountered an error just now!
+            console.warn("Failed to determine subsystem status", e);
+            // TODO show helpful error message in UI
+        });
     });
 
     document.getElementById("open-krunner-settings").addEventListener("click", function (event) {
diff --git a/host/settings.h b/host/settings.h
--- a/host/settings.h
+++ b/host/settings.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
     Q_ENUM(Environment)
 
     void handleData(const QString &event, const QJsonObject &data) override;
+    QJsonObject handleData(int serial, const QString &event, const QJsonObject &data) override;
 
     Environment environment() const;
     QString environmentString() const; // dbus
diff --git a/host/settings.cpp b/host/settings.cpp
--- a/host/settings.cpp
+++ b/host/settings.cpp
@@ -136,6 +136,29 @@
     }
 }
 
+QJsonObject Settings::handleData(int serial, const QString &event, const QJsonObject &data)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(serial)
+    Q_UNUSED(data)
+
+    QJsonObject ret;
+
+    if (event == QLatin1String("getSubsystemStatus")) {
+       // should we add a PluginManager::knownSubsystems() that returns a QList<AbstractBrowserPlugin*>?
+       const QStringList subsystems = PluginManager::self().knownPluginSubsystems();
+       for (const QString &subsystem : subsystems) {
+           const AbstractBrowserPlugin *plugin = PluginManager::self().pluginForSubsystem(subsystem);
+           QJsonObject details{
+               {QStringLiteral("version"), plugin->protocolVersion()},
+               {QStringLiteral("loaded"), plugin->isLoaded()}
+           };
+           ret.insert(subsystem, details);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
 Settings::Environment Settings::environment() const
 {
     return m_environment;