diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/attestation.rb b/Library/Homebrew/attestation.rb
index 0e4b305ac9..7dd23bdad4 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/attestation.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/attestation.rb
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ module Homebrew
         gh_version = Version.new(system_command!(@gh_executable, args: ["--version"], print_stderr: false)
                                  .stdout.match(/\d+(?:\.\d+)+/i).to_s)
         if gh_version < GH_ATTESTATION_MIN_VERSION
+          if Formula["gh"].version < GH_ATTESTATION_MIN_VERSION
+            raise "#{@gh_executable} is too old, you must upgrade it to >=#{GH_ATTESTATION_MIN_VERSION} to continue"
+          end
+
           @gh_executable = ensure_formula_installed!("gh", latest: true,
                                                            reason: "verifying attestations").opt_bin/"gh"
         end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/attestation_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/attestation_spec.rb
index 850b450892..b82dc11565 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/attestation_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/attestation_spec.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ RSpec.describe Homebrew::Attestation do
 
   describe "::gh_executable" do
     before do
+      allow(Formulary).to receive(:factory)
+        .with("gh")
+        .and_return(instance_double(Formula, version: Version.new("2.49.0")))
+
       allow(described_class).to receive(:system_command!)
         .with(fake_old_gh, args: ["--version"], print_stderr: false)
         .and_return(fake_old_gh_version)