diff --git a/holoviews/core/util.py b/holoviews/core/util.py
index 8a5098556a..eccebc4d89 100644
--- a/holoviews/core/util.py
+++ b/holoviews/core/util.py
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ def deephash(obj):
     unicode = str
     long = int
     generator_types = (zip, range, types.GeneratorType)
-    RecursionError = RecursionError # noqa
+    RecursionError = RecursionError if sys.version_info.minor > 4 else RuntimeError # noqa
 else:
     basestring = basestring
     unicode = unicode