diff --git a/tools/invocation_header_gen.py b/tools/invocation_header_gen.py
index e36d667d7..3ba760803 100755
--- a/tools/invocation_header_gen.py
+++ b/tools/invocation_header_gen.py
@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@ def parse_xml(xml_file):
 
 
 def generate(args, invocations):
+    # We require jinja2 to be at least version 2.10,
+    # In the past we used the 'namespace' feature from that version.
+    # other versions of jinja, particularly `minijinja`, don't support
+    # namespaces. However in case `namespace` is needed in the future require a
+    # version which supports it.
+    jinja2_version = version("jinja2")
+    if jinja2_version < "2.10":
+        sys.exit("Jinja2 should be >= 2.10")
 
     header_title = "API"
     if args.libsel4:
@@ -177,15 +185,6 @@ def generate(args, invocations):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    # We require jinja2 to be at least version 2.10,
-    # In the past we used the 'namespace' feature from that version.
-    # other versions of jinja, particularly `minijinja`, don't support
-    # namespaces. However in case `namespace` is needed in the future require a
-    # version which supports it.
-    jinja2_version = version("jinja2")
-    if jinja2_version < "2.10":
-        sys.exit("Jinja2 should be >= 2.10")
-
     args = parse_args()
 
     invocations = parse_xml(args.xml)
diff --git a/tools/syscall_header_gen.py b/tools/syscall_header_gen.py
index 1b5626720..710840080 100755
--- a/tools/syscall_header_gen.py
+++ b/tools/syscall_header_gen.py
@@ -18,13 +18,6 @@ import sys
 import xml.dom.minidom
 from condition import condition_to_cpp
 
-# We require jinja2 to be at least version 2.10,
-# In the past we used the 'namespace' feature from that version.
-# other versions of jinja, particularly `minijinja`, don't support namespaces.
-# However in case `namespace` is needed in the future require a
-# version which supports it.
-pkg_resources.require("jinja2>=2.10")
-
 
 COMMON_HEADER = """
 /* This header was generated by kernel/tools/syscall_header_gen.py.
@@ -210,6 +203,15 @@ def map_syscalls_neg(syscalls):
 
 
 def generate_kernel_file(kernel_header, api, debug):
+    # We require jinja2 to be at least version 2.10,
+    # In the past we used the 'namespace' feature from that version.
+    # other versions of jinja, particularly `minijinja`, don't support
+    # namespaces. However in case `namespace` is needed in the future require a
+    # version which supports it.
+    jinja2_version = version("jinja2")
+    if jinja2_version < "2.10":
+        sys.exit("Jinja2 should be >= 2.10")
+
     template = Environment(loader=BaseLoader, trim_blocks=False,
                            lstrip_blocks=False).from_string(KERNEL_HEADER_TEMPLATE)
     data = template.render({'assembler': map_syscalls_neg(api),
@@ -227,15 +229,6 @@ def generate_libsel4_file(libsel4_header, syscalls):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    # We require jinja2 to be at least version 2.10,
-    # In the past we used the 'namespace' feature from that version.
-    # other versions of jinja, particularly `minijinja`, don't support
-    # namespaces. However in case `namespace` is needed in the future require a
-    # version which supports it.
-    jinja2_version = version("jinja2")
-    if jinja2_version < "2.10":
-        sys.exit("Jinja2 should be >= 2.10")
-
     args = parse_args()
 
     (api, debug) = parse_xml(args.xml, args.mcs)