diff --git a/src/main/java/io/strimzi/test/container/StrimziKafkaContainer.java b/src/main/java/io/strimzi/test/container/StrimziKafkaContainer.java
index 03c8c7f..145249e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/strimzi/test/container/StrimziKafkaContainer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/strimzi/test/container/StrimziKafkaContainer.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.UUID;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.function.Function;
 
 /**
@@ -92,8 +93,16 @@ private StrimziKafkaContainer(CompletableFuture<String> imageName) {
 
     @Override
     protected void doStart() {
-        if (!imageNameProvider.isDone()) {
-            imageNameProvider.complete(KafkaVersionService.strimziTestContainerImageName(kafkaVersion));
+        if (!this.imageNameProvider.isDone()) {
+            this.imageNameProvider.complete(KafkaVersionService.strimziTestContainerImageName(this.kafkaVersion));
+        }
+        try {
+            if (this.useKraft && ((this.kafkaVersion != null && this.kafkaVersion.equals("2.8.1")) || this.imageNameProvider.get().contains("2.8.1"))) {
+                throw new UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException("Specified Kafka version " + this.kafkaVersion + " is not supported in KRaft mode.");
+            }
+        } catch (InterruptedException | ExecutionException e) {
+            LOGGER.error("Error occurred during retrieving of image name provider", e);
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
         }
         // we need it for the startZookeeper(); and startKafka(); to run container before...
         super.setCommand("sh", "-c", "while [ ! -f " + STARTER_SCRIPT + " ]; do sleep 0.1; done; " + STARTER_SCRIPT);
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/strimzi/test/container/UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException.java b/src/main/java/io/strimzi/test/container/UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72f0a41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/io/strimzi/test/container/UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Strimzi authors.
+ * License: Apache License 2.0 (see the file LICENSE or http://apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html).
+ */
+package io.strimzi.test.container;
+
+/**
+ * Provides a handler, when user specifies unsupported Kafka version with Kraft mode enabled
+ * {@link StrimziKafkaContainer#withKraft()}.
+ */
+public class UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException extends RuntimeException {
+
+    /**
+     * {@link UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException} used for handling situation, when
+     * user specifies unsupported Kafka version with Kraft mode enabled.
+     *
+     * @param message specific message to throw
+     */
+    public UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException(String message) {
+        super(message);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * {@link UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException} used for handling situation, when
+     * user specifies unsupported Kafka version with Kraft mode enabled.
+     *
+     * @param cause specific cause to throw
+     */
+    public UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException(Throwable cause) {
+        super(cause);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/strimzi/test/container/StrimziKafkaKraftContainerIT.java b/src/test/java/io/strimzi/test/container/StrimziKafkaKraftContainerIT.java
index 25cb304..74e5bf7 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/strimzi/test/container/StrimziKafkaKraftContainerIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/strimzi/test/container/StrimziKafkaKraftContainerIT.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import org.apache.kafka.common.TopicPartition;
 import org.apache.kafka.common.serialization.StringDeserializer;
 import org.apache.kafka.common.serialization.StringSerializer;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
 import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.MethodSource;
 import org.testcontainers.shaded.com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
 import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.equalTo;
 import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.is;
 import static org.hamcrest.MatcherAssert.assertThat;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertThrows;
 
 @SuppressWarnings("ClassDataAbstractionCoupling")
 public class StrimziKafkaKraftContainerIT extends AbstractIT {
@@ -100,6 +102,31 @@ void testStartContainerWithSomeConfiguration(final String imageName) throws Exec
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testUnsupportedKRaftUsingKafkaVersion() {
+        assumeDocker();
+
+        systemUnderTest = new StrimziKafkaContainer()
+            .withKafkaVersion("2.8.1")
+            .withBrokerId(1)
+            .withKraft()
+            .waitForRunning();
+
+        assertThrows(UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException.class, () -> systemUnderTest.start());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testUnsupportedKRaftUsingImageName() {
+        assumeDocker();
+
+        systemUnderTest = new StrimziKafkaContainer("quay.io/strimzi-test-container/test-container:latest-kafka-2.8.1")
+            .withBrokerId(1)
+            .withKraft()
+            .waitForRunning();
+
+        assertThrows(UnsupportedKraftKafkaVersionException.class, () -> systemUnderTest.start());
+    }
+
     private void verify() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException {
         final String topicName = "topic";
 
@@ -129,6 +156,5 @@ private void verify() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutEx
             assertThat(records.records(topic).get(1).value(), equalTo("2"));
             assertThat(records.records(topic).get(2).value(), equalTo("3"));
         }
-
     }
 }