diff --git a/plugins/groovy/rt/src/org/jetbrains/groovy/compiler/rt/DependentGroovycRunner.java b/plugins/groovy/rt/src/org/jetbrains/groovy/compiler/rt/DependentGroovycRunner.java
index 9c58e60dad20..f4f354725fd4 100644
--- a/plugins/groovy/rt/src/org/jetbrains/groovy/compiler/rt/DependentGroovycRunner.java
+++ b/plugins/groovy/rt/src/org/jetbrains/groovy/compiler/rt/DependentGroovycRunner.java
@@ -71,10 +71,14 @@ public class DependentGroovycRunner {
         config.setTargetDirectory(finalOutputs[0]);
       }
     }
-    
-    if (!"false".equals(System.getProperty(GroovyRtConstants.GROOVYC_ASM_RESOLVING_ONLY))) {
-      config.getOptimizationOptions().put("asmResolving", true);
-      config.getOptimizationOptions().put("classLoaderResolving", false);
+
+    try {
+      if (!"false".equals(System.getProperty(GroovyRtConstants.GROOVYC_ASM_RESOLVING_ONLY))) {
+        config.getOptimizationOptions().put("asmResolving", true);
+        config.getOptimizationOptions().put("classLoaderResolving", false);
+      }
+    }
+    catch (NoSuchMethodError ignored) { // old groovyc's don't have optimization options
     }
 
     System.out.println(GroovyRtConstants.PRESENTABLE_MESSAGE + "Groovyc: loading sources...");