diff --git a/poky/meta/lib/oe/terminal.py b/poky/meta/lib/oe/terminal.py
index 61c2687..59aa80d 100644
--- a/poky/meta/lib/oe/terminal.py
+++ b/poky/meta/lib/oe/terminal.py
@@ -163,7 +163,12 @@
         # devshells, if it's already there, add a new window to it.
         window_name = 'devshell-%i' % os.getpid()
 
-        self.command = 'tmux new -c "{{cwd}}" -d -s {0} -n {0} "{{command}}"'.format(window_name)
+        self.command = 'tmux new -c "{{cwd}}" -d -s {0} -n {0} "{{command}}"'
+        if not check_tmux_version('1.9'):
+            # `tmux new-session -c` was added in 1.9;
+            # older versions fail with that flag
+            self.command = 'tmux new -d -s {0} -n {0} "{{command}}"'
+        self.command = self.command.format(window_name)
         Terminal.__init__(self, sh_cmd, title, env, d)
 
         attach_cmd = 'tmux att -t {0}'.format(window_name)
@@ -253,13 +258,18 @@
         except OSError:
            return
 
+def check_tmux_version(desired):
+    vernum = check_terminal_version("tmux")
+    if vernum and LooseVersion(vernum) < desired:
+        return False
+    return vernum
+
 def check_tmux_pane_size(tmux):
     import subprocess as sub
     # On older tmux versions (<1.9), return false. The reason
     # is that there is no easy way to get the height of the active panel
     # on current window without nested formats (available from version 1.9)
-    vernum = check_terminal_version("tmux")
-    if vernum and LooseVersion(vernum) < '1.9':
+    if not check_tmux_version('1.9'):
         return False
     try:
         p = sub.Popen('%s list-panes -F "#{?pane_active,#{pane_height},}"' % tmux,