diff --git a/preflight.sh b/preflight.sh
index 34877b4..5ebc0ab 100644
--- a/preflight.sh
+++ b/preflight.sh
@@ -2,23 +2,12 @@ set -e
 
 go version > /dev/null 2>&1 || (echo go 1.16+ is required && false)
 
-v=`go version | egrep -o 'go1[^ ]+'`
-case $v in
-	go1.10*|go1.11*|go1.12*|go1.13*|go1.14*|go1.15*)
-		echo go version is too old: $v
-		echo go 1.16+ is required
-		false
-		;;
-	go1.1*)
-		# just pretend nobody is still using go 1.1 or 1.2
-		;;
-	go1.2*)
-		;;
-	*)
-		echo unknown go version: $v
-		false
-		;;
-esac
+v=`go version | egrep -o "go1\.[^.]+"` || echo failed to identify go version
+if [ "$v" \< "go1.16" ] ; then
+	echo go version is too old: $v
+	echo go 1.16+ is required
+	false
+fi
 
 if [ \! \( -e /usr/include/sqlite3.h -o -e /usr/local/include/sqlite3.h \) ] ; then
 	echo unable to find sqlite3.h header