diff --git a/changelog.d/3002.bugfix.rst b/changelog.d/3002.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bf19c1b76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/3002.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+remove f-string usage in launcher to prevent our error handling from cauing an error.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/redbot/launcher.py b/redbot/launcher.py
index 03e4b49ef..3c2628168 100644
--- a/redbot/launcher.py
+++ b/redbot/launcher.py
@@ -450,9 +450,10 @@ def main():
     args, flags_to_pass = parse_cli_args()
     if not PYTHON_OK:
         print(
-            f"Python {'.'.join(map(str, MIN_PYTHON_VERSION))} is required to run Red, but you "
-            f"have {sys.version}! Please update Python."
-        )
+            "Python {req_ver} is required to run Red, but you have {sys_ver}!".format(
+                req_ver=".".join(map(str, MIN_PYTHON_VERSION)), sys_ver=sys.version
+            )
+        )  # Don't make an f-string, these may not exist on the python version being rejected!
         sys.exit(1)
     if args.debuginfo:  # Check first since the function triggers an exit
         debug_info()