diff --git a/syntax_checkers/ruby/rubocop.vim b/syntax_checkers/ruby/rubocop.vim
index 8f968fca..b93d8d1a 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/ruby/rubocop.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/ruby/rubocop.vim
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ endif
 let g:loaded_syntastic_ruby_rubocop_checker=1
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_ruby_rubocop_IsAvailable()
-    return executable('rubocop')
+    return
+        \ executable('rubocop') &&
+        \ syntastic#util#versionIsAtLeast(syntastic#util#parseVersion('rubocop --version'), [0,9,0])
 endfunction
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_ruby_rubocop_GetLocList()
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_ruby_rubocop_GetLocList()
         \ 'filetype': 'ruby',
         \ 'subchecker': 'rubocop' })
 
-    let errorformat = '%f:%l:%c:\ %t:\ %m'
+    let errorformat = '%f:%l:%c: %t: %m'
 
     let loclist = SyntasticMake({
         \ 'makeprg': makeprg,