diff --git a/android/build.gradle b/android/build.gradle
index 8c730dc5..4fe17d88 100644
--- a/android/build.gradle
+++ b/android/build.gradle
@@ -17,10 +17,6 @@ repositories {
     }
 }
 
-dependencies {
-    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:25.3.1'
-}
-
 android {
     compileSdkVersion 25
     buildToolsVersion "25.0.2"
diff --git a/android/src/org/purplei2p/i2pd/I2PDPermsAskerActivity.java b/android/src/org/purplei2p/i2pd/I2PDPermsAskerActivity.java
index 251e2650..3e364949 100644
--- a/android/src/org/purplei2p/i2pd/I2PDPermsAskerActivity.java
+++ b/android/src/org/purplei2p/i2pd/I2PDPermsAskerActivity.java
@@ -5,27 +5,32 @@ import android.app.Activity;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
 import android.os.Bundle;
-import android.support.v4.app.ActivityCompat;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.widget.Button;
 import android.widget.TextView;
 
+import java.lang.reflect.Method;
+
 //dangerous perms, per https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/permissions/normal-permissions.html :
 //android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
 public class I2PDPermsAskerActivity extends Activity {
 
     private static final int PERMISSION_WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE = 0;
 
-    private View mLayout;
     private Button button_request_write_ext_storage_perms;
     private TextView textview_retry;
 
     @Override
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
+        //if less than Android 6, no runtime perms req system present
+        if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < 23) {
+            startMainActivity();
+            return;
+        }
+
 
         setContentView(R.layout.activity_perms_asker);
-        mLayout = findViewById(R.id.main_layout);
         button_request_write_ext_storage_perms = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button_request_write_ext_storage_perms);
         textview_retry = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.textview_retry);
 
@@ -43,14 +48,37 @@ public class I2PDPermsAskerActivity extends Activity {
         textview_retry.setVisibility(TextView.GONE);
         button_request_write_ext_storage_perms.setVisibility(Button.GONE);
 
-        // Here, thisActivity is the current activity
-        if (ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(this,
-                Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)
-                != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
+        Method methodCheckPermission;
+        Method method_shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale;
+        Method method_requestPermissions;
+        try {
+            methodCheckPermission = getClass().getMethod("checkSelfPermission", String.class);
+            method_shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale =
+                    getClass().getMethod("shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale", String.class);
+            method_requestPermissions =
+                    getClass().getMethod("requestPermissions", String[].class, int.class);
+        } catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
+        }
+        Integer resultObj;
+        try {
+            resultObj = (Integer) methodCheckPermission.invoke(
+                    this, Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE);
+        } catch (Throwable e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
+        }
+
+        if (resultObj != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
 
             // Should we show an explanation?
-            if (ActivityCompat.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(this,
-                    Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)) {
+            Boolean aBoolean;
+            try {
+                aBoolean = (Boolean) method_shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale.invoke(this,
+                        Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE);
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                throw new RuntimeException(e);
+            }
+            if (aBoolean) {
 
                 // Show an explanation to the user *asynchronously* -- don't block
                 // this thread waiting for the user's response! After the user
@@ -62,13 +90,13 @@ public class I2PDPermsAskerActivity extends Activity {
 
                 // No explanation needed, we can request the permission.
 
-                ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this,
-                        new String[]{Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE},
-                        PERMISSION_WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE);
-
-                // MY_PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_READ_CONTACTS is an
-                // app-defined int constant. The callback method gets the
-                // result of the request.
+                try {
+                    method_requestPermissions.invoke(this,
+                            new String[]{Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE},
+                            PERMISSION_WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE);
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                }
             }
         } else startMainActivity();
     }
@@ -121,9 +149,20 @@ public class I2PDPermsAskerActivity extends Activity {
             // Make sure the request was successful
             if (resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
                 // Request the permission
-                ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(I2PDPermsAskerActivity.this,
-                        new String[]{Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE},
-                        PERMISSION_WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE);
+                Method method_requestPermissions;
+                try {
+                    method_requestPermissions =
+                            getClass().getMethod("requestPermissions", String[].class, int.class);
+                } catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                }
+                try {
+                    method_requestPermissions.invoke(this,
+                            new String[]{Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE},
+                            PERMISSION_WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE);
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                }
             } else {
                 finish(); //close the app
             }