diff --git a/gns3server/compute/kernel_datapath.py b/gns3server/compute/kernel_datapath.py
index bbc2317ad..8dea76fd6 100644
--- a/gns3server/compute/kernel_datapath.py
+++ b/gns3server/compute/kernel_datapath.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import socket
 import psutil
 
 from gns3server.compute.error import NodeError
+from gns3server.compute.ubridge.hypervisor import KERNEL_DATAPATH_MINIMUM_VERSION
 from gns3server.compute.ubridge.ubridge_error import UbridgeError
 from gns3server.utils.tc_capabilities import FILTER_EBPF_MODES, parse_tc_capabilities, usable_ebpf_modes
 
@@ -158,8 +159,18 @@ class KernelDatapathMixin:
         "Unknown command"/"Unknown module", a build without CAP_NET_ADMIN
         fails outright. The caller composes its own warning and fallback:
         the legacy relay datapath keeps working either way.
+
+        A build older than the kernel dataplane is refused without asking:
+        1.2.3 already has the tap module, so its `tap create` succeeds,
+        but the anchors it creates would then carry kernel links that need
+        1.3.x commands (per-interface kernel captures, kernel markers).
         """
 
+        if not self.ubridge.supports_kernel_datapath:
+            return UbridgeError(
+                f"uBridge {self.ubridge.version} is too old for the kernel datapath "
+                f"(>= {KERNEL_DATAPATH_MINIMUM_VERSION} required)"
+            )
         try:
             await self._ubridge_send(f'tap create "{probe_name}"')
         except UbridgeError as e:
diff --git a/gns3server/compute/ubridge/hypervisor.py b/gns3server/compute/ubridge/hypervisor.py
index 8a7b78090..6126337bd 100644
--- a/gns3server/compute/ubridge/hypervisor.py
+++ b/gns3server/compute/ubridge/hypervisor.py
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ from .ubridge_hypervisor import UBridgeHypervisor
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# The kernel dataplane the persistent-TAP anchors feed (kernel links, kernel
+# markers and captures) needs uBridge >= 1.3.1: 1.3.0 introduced it, 1.3.1
+# made kernel captures per interface (`capture stop_kernel <ifc>`, which the
+# server always sends). The tap module itself is older (1.2.3), so a
+# successful `tap create` alone does not mean the dataplane is there.
+KERNEL_DATAPATH_MINIMUM_VERSION = "1.3.1"
+
 
 class Hypervisor(UBridgeHypervisor):
     """
@@ -149,6 +156,20 @@ class Hypervisor(UBridgeHypervisor):
 
         return self._version
 
+    @property
+    def supports_kernel_datapath(self):
+        """
+        Whether this uBridge is recent enough for the kernel dataplane
+        (persistent-TAP anchors, kernel links). False until the version is
+        known, i.e. before start().
+
+        :returns: boolean
+        """
+
+        if not self._version:
+            return False
+        return parse_version(self._version) >= parse_version(KERNEL_DATAPATH_MINIMUM_VERSION)
+
     async def _check_ubridge_version(self, env=None):
         """
         Checks if the ubridge executable version meets the minimum required.
diff --git a/gns3server/compute/ubridge/tc_probe.py b/gns3server/compute/ubridge/tc_probe.py
index 3da66c42e..9d68451af 100644
--- a/gns3server/compute/ubridge/tc_probe.py
+++ b/gns3server/compute/ubridge/tc_probe.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ from gns3server.config import Config
 from gns3server.utils.tc_capabilities import parse_tc_capabilities
 from gns3server.utils.vxlan import VXLAN_VNI_MAX, VXLAN_VNI_MIN
 
-from .hypervisor import Hypervisor
+from .hypervisor import KERNEL_DATAPATH_MINIMUM_VERSION, Hypervisor
 from .ubridge_error import UbridgeError
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -65,6 +65,22 @@ _vxlan_cache: dict[tuple[str, int, int, int], Optional[bool]] = {}
 _lock = asyncio.Lock()
 
 
+def _require_kernel_datapath(hypervisor):
+    """
+    Refuse a uBridge older than the kernel dataplane before any anchoring
+    probe asks it anything. Its own commands can still succeed — 1.2.3 has
+    the tap module, so `tap create` answers OK — while the kernel links
+    built on that answer need 1.3.x commands it lacks. Raised as a
+    UbridgeError so the caller's usual failure path reports unknown.
+    """
+
+    if not hypervisor.supports_kernel_datapath:
+        raise UbridgeError(
+            f"uBridge {hypervisor.version} is too old for the kernel datapath "
+            f"(>= {KERNEL_DATAPATH_MINIMUM_VERSION} required)"
+        )
+
+
 async def probe_tc_capabilities(timeout: float = 15.0):  # noqa: ASYNC109 - operation-specific timeout is intentional
     """
     Probe the configured uBridge's tc module once per binary identity.
@@ -176,6 +192,7 @@ async def _probe_tap(path, config, timeout):  # noqa: ASYNC109 - operation-speci
 
         async def ask():
             await hypervisor.start()
+            _require_kernel_datapath(hypervisor)
             await hypervisor.connect()
             await hypervisor.send(f"tap create {name}")
             try:
@@ -255,6 +272,7 @@ async def _probe_iol_tap(path, config, timeout):  # noqa: ASYNC109 - operation-s
 
         async def ask():
             await hypervisor.start()
+            _require_kernel_datapath(hypervisor)
             await hypervisor.connect()
             await hypervisor.send(f"iol_bridge create {bridge} {_IOL_PROBE_BRIDGE_ID}")
             try:
@@ -336,6 +354,7 @@ async def _probe_bridge_tap(path, config, timeout):  # noqa: ASYNC109 - operatio
 
         async def ask():
             await hypervisor.start()
+            _require_kernel_datapath(hypervisor)
             await hypervisor.connect()
             try:
                 await hypervisor.send(f"bridge delete_nio_tap gns3brtapprobe{uuid.uuid4().hex[:4]} any")
@@ -432,6 +451,7 @@ async def _probe_vxlan(path, config, timeout):  # noqa: ASYNC109 - operation-spe
 
         async def ask():
             await hypervisor.start()
+            _require_kernel_datapath(hypervisor)
             await hypervisor.connect()
             await hypervisor.send(f"vxlan create {name} {vni} remote=127.0.0.1 dstport={dstport}")
             try:
diff --git a/tests/compute/qemu/test_qemu_kernel_datapath.py b/tests/compute/qemu/test_qemu_kernel_datapath.py
index a2d57592a..a1e3bab06 100644
--- a/tests/compute/qemu/test_qemu_kernel_datapath.py
+++ b/tests/compute/qemu/test_qemu_kernel_datapath.py
@@ -122,6 +122,29 @@ async def test_prepare_tap_datapath_falls_back_without_the_tap_module(vm):
     assert emit.called
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_prepare_tap_datapath_falls_back_below_the_kernel_dataplane_version(vm):
+    """
+    uBridge 1.2.3 has the tap module, so a `tap create` probe alone passes
+    — and the node then runs on TAP anchors whose kernel links the build
+    cannot drive. Below the kernel-dataplane version the node keeps the
+    legacy socket-netdev datapath without creating any TAP, and the warning
+    names the installed version.
+    """
+
+    vm._ubridge_hypervisor.supports_kernel_datapath = False
+    vm._ubridge_hypervisor.version = "1.2.3"
+    with patch.object(vm.project, "emit") as emit:
+        await vm._prepare_tap_datapath()
+
+    assert vm._tap_datapath is False
+    assert vm._kernel_taps == {}
+    assert not any(c.args[0].startswith("tap ") for c in vm._ubridge_send.call_args_list)
+    message = emit.call_args.args[1]["message"]
+    assert "1.2.3" in message
+    assert "1.3.1" in message
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_tap_name_fits_ifnamsiz(vm):
     """
diff --git a/tests/compute/ubridge/test_hypervisor.py b/tests/compute/ubridge/test_hypervisor.py
index 74f0be660..53d736797 100644
--- a/tests/compute/ubridge/test_hypervisor.py
+++ b/tests/compute/ubridge/test_hypervisor.py
@@ -194,6 +194,24 @@ async def test_accepts_ubridge_1_2_3(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert hyp.version == "1.2.3"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "version, supported",
+    [
+        ("", False),  # not started yet: version unknown
+        ("1.2.3", False),  # has the tap module, but no kernel dataplane
+        ("1.3.0", False),  # no per-interface capture stop_kernel
+        ("1.3.1", True),
+        ("1.3.2", True),
+        ("1.4.0", True),
+    ],
+)
+def test_supports_kernel_datapath(tmp_path, monkeypatch, version, supported):
+
+    hyp = _make("unix", tmp_path, monkeypatch)
+    hyp._version = version
+    assert hyp.supports_kernel_datapath is supported
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # start: fail-fast on an immediately-exiting uBridge
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tests/compute/ubridge/test_tc_probe.py b/tests/compute/ubridge/test_tc_probe.py
index cab22077a..f529d397d 100644
--- a/tests/compute/ubridge/test_tc_probe.py
+++ b/tests/compute/ubridge/test_tc_probe.py
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ class FakeHypervisor:
     # doesn't exist), None = answer 100 (an impossible reply on the probe's
     # uuid name — the probe must treat it as unknown)
     bridge_tap_error = "214-bridge 'nosuch' doesn't exist"
+    # False = a build older than the kernel dataplane (uBridge < 1.3.1)
+    supports_kernel_datapath = True
+    version = "1.3.1"
     spawned = 0
 
     def __init__(self, project, path, working_dir, transport, host, node_id):
@@ -90,6 +93,8 @@ def probe_env(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     FakeHypervisor.error = None
     FakeHypervisor.error_prefix = None
     FakeHypervisor.bridge_tap_error = "214-bridge 'nosuch' doesn't exist"
+    FakeHypervisor.supports_kernel_datapath = True
+    FakeHypervisor.version = "1.3.1"
     FakeHypervisor.reply = ["netem=delay,rate;ebpf=1;cbpf=1;ebpf_modes=nth,quota,window,flow"]
     tc_probe._cache.clear()
     tc_probe._tap_cache.clear()
@@ -285,6 +290,25 @@ async def test_probe_bridge_tap_support_missing_binary(monkeypatch):
     assert FakeHypervisor.spawned == 0
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "probe", [probe_tap_support, probe_iol_tap_support, probe_bridge_tap_support, probe_vxlan_support]
+)
+async def test_anchor_probes_unknown_below_the_kernel_dataplane_version(probe):
+    """
+    uBridge 1.2.3 already has the tap module, so its `tap create` succeeds —
+    but the kernel links built on that answer need commands that only 1.3.x
+    has (per-interface `capture stop_kernel`, kernel markers, ...). A build
+    below the kernel-dataplane version is unknown without being asked
+    anything, so every node stays on the relay datapath.
+    """
+
+    FakeHypervisor.supports_kernel_datapath = False
+    FakeHypervisor.version = "1.2.3"
+    assert await probe() is None
+    assert FakeHypervisor.spawned == 1
+    assert FakeHypervisor.last.commands == []
+
+
 class _FixedUuid:
     """A uuid4 stand-in whose .int/.hex pin the probe's random draws."""