diff --git a/run_syntax_tests.sh b/run_syntax_tests.sh
index cfcc875..e148da8 100755
--- a/run_syntax_tests.sh
+++ b/run_syntax_tests.sh
@@ -14,9 +14,17 @@
 # under the License.
 
 export SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd `dirname $0` && pwd -P)
-export FUTURE_PARSER=${FUTURE_PARSER:-no}
 source $SCRIPT_DIR/functions
 
+export PUPPET_VERSION=${PUPPET_VERSION:-4}
+PUPPET_MAJOR_VERSION=`echo $PUPPET_VERSION | cut -c 1`
+export PUPPET_GEM_VERSION="~> $PUPPET_MAJOR_VERSION"
+if [ "$PUPPET_MAJOR_VERSION" -lt "4" ]; then
+    export FUTURE_PARSER=${FUTURE_PARSER:-yes}
+else
+    export FUTURE_PARSER=${FUTURE_PARSER:-no}
+fi
+
 install_gems
 
 # run unit tests