diff --git a/src/lib/uTop_main.ml b/src/lib/uTop_main.ml
index 186b821e..0739d0a0 100644
--- a/src/lib/uTop_main.ml
+++ b/src/lib/uTop_main.ml
@@ -608,6 +608,7 @@ let bind_expressions name phrase =
    | Handling of [@@toplevel_printer] attributes                     |
    +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ *)
 
+#if OCAML_VERSION >= (4, 04, 0)
 let execute_phrase =
   let new_cmis = ref []in
 
@@ -655,6 +656,12 @@ let execute_phrase =
     acknowledge_new_cmis ();
     res
 
+#else
+
+let execute_phrase = Toploop.execute_phrase
+
+#endif
+
 (* +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
    | Main loop                                                       |
    +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ *)