diff --git a/build/scripts/build-utils.ps1 b/build/scripts/build-utils.ps1
index e059790f2a2ee91040eefd9765cd7d9ceaae35a3..12136e7523b0dfd463cbb1c6d2517db1cd17ad67 100644
--- a/build/scripts/build-utils.ps1
+++ b/build/scripts/build-utils.ps1
@@ -312,15 +312,21 @@ function Get-MSBuildKindAndDir([switch]$xcopy = $false) {
         return
     }
 
-    # MSBuild from an active VS command prompt.  
+    # MSBuild from an active VS command prompt. Use the MSBuild here so long as it's from a 
+    # compatible Visual Studio. If not though throw and error out. Given the number of 
+    # environment variable changes in a developer command prompt it's hard to make guarantees
+    # about subbing in a new MSBuild instance
     if (${env:VSINSTALLDIR} -ne $null) {
         $command = (Get-Command msbuild -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
-        if ($command -ne $null) {
+        if ((Test-SupportedVisualStudioVersion ${env:VSCMD_VER}) -and ($command -ne $null) ) {
             $p = Split-Path -parent $command.Path
             Write-Output "vscmd"
             Write-Output $p
             return
         }
+        else {
+            throw "Developer Command Prompt for VS $(${env:VSCMD_VER}) is not recent enough. Please upgrade or build from a normal CMD window"
+        }
     }
 
     # Look for a valid VS installation
@@ -353,6 +359,19 @@ function Get-MSBuildDir([switch]$xcopy = $false) {
     return $both[1]
 }
 
+
+# Dose this version of Visual Studio meet our minimum requirements for building.
+function Test-SupportedVisualStudioVersion([string]$version) { 
+    if (-not ($version -match "^([\d.]+)(\+|-)?.*$")) { 
+        Write-Host "here"
+        return $false
+    }
+
+    $V = New-Object System.Version $matches[1]
+    $min = New-Object System.Version "15.3"
+    return $v -ge $min;
+}
+
 # Get the directory and instance ID of the first Visual Studio version which 
 # meets our minimal requirements for the Roslyn repo.
 function Get-VisualStudioDirAndId() {
@@ -365,10 +384,8 @@ function Get-VisualStudioDirAndId() {
         # set of SDK fixes. Parsing the installationName is the only place where this is 
         # recorded in that form.
         $name = $obj.installationName
-        if ($name -match "VisualStudio(Preview)?/([\d.]+)(\+|-).*") { 
-            $minVersion = New-Object System.Version "15.3.0"
-            $version = New-Object System.Version $matches[2]
-            if ($version -ge $minVersion) {
+        if ($name -match "VisualStudio(Preview)?/(.*)") { 
+            if (Test-SupportedVisualStudioVersion $matches[2]) {
                 Write-Output $obj.installationPath
                 Write-Output $obj.instanceId
                 return