diff --git a/cabal-install/Distribution/Client/Compat/Directory.hs b/cabal-install/Distribution/Client/Compat/Directory.hs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0f9fc4218ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cabal-install/Distribution/Client/Compat/Directory.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
+module Distribution.Client.Compat.Directory (setModificationTime) where
+
+#if MIN_VERSION_directory(1,2,3)
+import System.Directory (setModificationTime)
+#else
+
+import Data.Time.Clock (UTCTime)
+
+setModificationTime :: FilePath -> UTCTime -> IO ()
+setModificationTime _fp _t = return ()
+
+#endif
diff --git a/cabal-install/Distribution/Client/Update.hs b/cabal-install/Distribution/Client/Update.hs
index 73561a63f69..58992210414 100644
--- a/cabal-install/Distribution/Client/Update.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/Distribution/Client/Update.hs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ module Distribution.Client.Update
 
 import Distribution.Simple.Setup
          ( fromFlag )
+import Distribution.Client.Compat.Directory
+         ( setModificationTime )
 import Distribution.Client.Types
          ( Repo(..), RemoteRepo(..), maybeRepoRemote )
 import Distribution.Client.HttpUtils
@@ -40,7 +42,6 @@ import Distribution.Simple.Utils
 
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy       as BS
 import Distribution.Client.GZipUtils (maybeDecompress)
-import System.Directory (setModificationTime)
 import System.FilePath ((<.>), dropExtension)
 import Data.Maybe (mapMaybe)
 import Data.Time (getCurrentTime)
diff --git a/cabal-install/cabal-install.cabal b/cabal-install/cabal-install.cabal
index 5479e42fb7f..9f4e951d29e 100644
--- a/cabal-install/cabal-install.cabal
+++ b/cabal-install/cabal-install.cabal
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ library
         Distribution.Client.CmdRepl
         Distribution.Client.CmdRun
         Distribution.Client.CmdTest
+        Distribution.Client.Compat.Directory
         Distribution.Client.Compat.ExecutablePath
         Distribution.Client.Compat.FileLock
         Distribution.Client.Compat.FilePerms
@@ -437,6 +438,7 @@ executable cabal
             Distribution.Client.CmdRepl
             Distribution.Client.CmdRun
             Distribution.Client.CmdTest
+            Distribution.Client.Compat.Directory
             Distribution.Client.Compat.ExecutablePath
             Distribution.Client.Compat.FileLock
             Distribution.Client.Compat.FilePerms
@@ -657,7 +659,7 @@ executable cabal
         mtl,
         network,
         network-uri,
-        pretty-show,
+        pretty-show >= 1.6.15,
         random,
         tagged,
         tar,
@@ -786,7 +788,7 @@ Test-Suite solver-quickcheck
         tasty >= 0.12,
         tasty-quickcheck,
         QuickCheck >= 2.8.2,
-        pretty-show
+        pretty-show >= 1.6.15
 
   if !(arch(arm) && impl(ghc < 7.6))
     ghc-options: -threaded