diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
index 06ffa137d4..1d118583c8 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-journal/journal-file.c
@@ -572,6 +572,10 @@ static int journal_file_verify_header(JournalFile *f) {
         if (journal_file_writable(f) && header_size != sizeof(Header))
                 return -EPROTONOSUPPORT;
 
+        /* Don't write to journal files without the new boot ID update behavior guarantee. */
+        if (journal_file_writable(f) && !JOURNAL_HEADER_TAIL_ENTRY_BOOT_ID(f->header))
+                return -EPROTONOSUPPORT;
+
         if (JOURNAL_HEADER_SEALED(f->header) && !JOURNAL_HEADER_CONTAINS(f->header, n_entry_arrays))
                 return -EBADMSG;