shim to make sure cabalized package only builds with cabal >= 1.17 add to your Setup.hs

GuardedSetup.hs

{-# LANGUAGE TemplateHaskell #-}
{-# LANGUAGE QuasiQuotes #-}

import Language.Haskell.TH
import Distribution.Simple
import Distribution.Simple.Utils

goodVersion=
     $(if cabalVersion >= Version [1,17,0] []
         then [| "its all good" |]
         else  [| 1 + "this package should not be used with cabal version < 1.17.0 , it will break" |]
    )