diff --git a/eessi/testsuite/common_config.py b/eessi/testsuite/common_config.py
index ec330392..c9011713 100644
--- a/eessi/testsuite/common_config.py
+++ b/eessi/testsuite/common_config.py
@@ -1,9 +1,51 @@
 import json
 import os
 
+from reframe.core.config import load_config
+from reframe.core.exceptions import ConfigError
 from reframe.core.logging import getlogger
 
 from eessi.testsuite.constants import FEATURES
+from eessi.testsuite.utils import EESSIError
+
+
+def reframe_version_is_supported():
+    testconfig = load_config()
+    testconfig.update_config({
+        'systems': [{
+            'name': 'config_probe',
+            'hostnames': ['.*'],
+            'partitions': [{
+                'name': 'default',
+                'scheduler': 'local',
+                'launcher': 'local',
+                'environs': ['EESSI-2025.06'],
+                # feature names starting with a digit must be supported
+                'features': ['16_nodes'],
+            }],
+        }],
+        'environments': [{
+            # environment names containing dots must be supported
+            'name': 'EESSI-2025.06',
+        }],
+    }, '<config-probe>')
+
+    try:
+        testconfig.validate()
+    except ConfigError:
+        return False
+
+    return True
+
+
+if not reframe_version_is_supported():
+    msg = ' '.join([
+        'The EESSI test suite does not support this ReFrame version due to feature name and environment name',
+        'restrictions. Unsupported versions: >=4.10.1,<4.11',
+        'See https://github.com/reframe-hpc/reframe/issues/3723 for details.',
+    ])
+    raise EESSIError(msg)
+
 
 perflog_format = '|'.join([
     '%(check_job_completion_time)s',
diff --git a/eessi/testsuite/utils.py b/eessi/testsuite/utils.py
index 95d92a2d..32f18250 100644
--- a/eessi/testsuite/utils.py
+++ b/eessi/testsuite/utils.py
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@
     pass
 
 
+def make_red(msg):
+    return f'\033[31m{msg}\033[0m'
+
+
 class EESSIError(ReframeFatalError):
     traceback = os.getenv('TRACEBACK', "0")
     addendum = ''
@@ -46,7 +50,7 @@ class EESSIError(ReframeFatalError):
         addendum = '\nRerun with `TRACEBACK=1 reframe ...` to show the full traceback.'
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return super().__str__() + EESSIError.addendum
+        return make_red(super().__str__()) + EESSIError.addendum
 
 
 def log(msg, logger=printer.debug):