diff --git a/fixtures/electron-in-dependencies/package.json b/fixtures/electron-in-dependencies/package.json
index 6226e85b..89a7edf1 100644
--- a/fixtures/electron-in-dependencies/package.json
+++ b/fixtures/electron-in-dependencies/package.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "description": "Electron found in dependencies",
   "scripts": {},
   "dependencies": {
-    "electron": "^25.0.0"
+    "electron": "^26.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {}
 }
diff --git a/fixtures/electron-in-dev-dependencies/package.json b/fixtures/electron-in-dev-dependencies/package.json
index 39585a9d..de9ff121 100644
--- a/fixtures/electron-in-dev-dependencies/package.json
+++ b/fixtures/electron-in-dev-dependencies/package.json
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@
   "scripts": {},
   "dependencies": {},
   "devDependencies": {
-    "electron": "^25.0.0"
+    "electron": "^26.0.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/fixtures/old-electron/package.json b/fixtures/old-electron/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7aec5fa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fixtures/old-electron/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "name": "fixture-old-electron",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "Old Electron found in devDependencies",
+  "scripts": {},
+  "dependencies": {},
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "electron": "^25.0.0"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/wdio-electron-service/src/launcher.ts b/packages/wdio-electron-service/src/launcher.ts
index ca77f33f..a66ec74a 100644
--- a/packages/wdio-electron-service/src/launcher.ts
+++ b/packages/wdio-electron-service/src/launcher.ts
@@ -47,10 +47,18 @@ export default class ElectronLaunchService implements Services.ServiceInstance {
 
     await Promise.all(
       caps.map(async (cap) => {
-        const electronVersion = cap.browserVersion || localElectronVersion;
+        const electronVersion = cap.browserVersion || localElectronVersion || '';
         const chromiumVersion = await getChromiumVersion(electronVersion);
         log.info(`Found Electron v${electronVersion} with Chromedriver v${chromiumVersion}`);
 
+        if (Number.parseInt(electronVersion.split('.')[0]) < 26 && !cap['wdio:chromedriverOptions']?.binary) {
+          const invalidElectronVersionError = new SevereServiceError(
+            'Electron version must be 26 or higher for auto-configuration of Chromedriver.  If you want to use an older version of Electron, you must configure Chromedriver manually using the wdio:chromedriverOptions capability',
+          );
+          log.error(invalidElectronVersionError.message);
+          throw invalidElectronVersionError;
+        }
+
         let {
           appBinaryPath,
           appEntryPoint,
diff --git a/packages/wdio-electron-service/test/launcher.spec.ts b/packages/wdio-electron-service/test/launcher.spec.ts
index dd80435b..18d334b5 100644
--- a/packages/wdio-electron-service/test/launcher.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/wdio-electron-service/test/launcher.spec.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ beforeEach(async () => {
         version: '26.2.2',
         chrome: '116.0.5845.190',
       },
+      {
+        version: '32.0.1',
+        chrome: '128.0.6613.36',
+      },
     ]);
 });
 
@@ -88,6 +92,59 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('should throw an error when the local Electron version is older than v26 and Chromedriver is not configured manually', async () => {
+    instance = new LaunchService(
+      options,
+      [] as never,
+      {
+        services: [['electron', options]],
+        rootDir: getFixtureDir('old-electron'),
+      } as Options.Testrunner,
+    );
+    const capabilities: WebdriverIO.Capabilities[] = [
+      {
+        browserName: 'electron',
+      },
+    ];
+    await expect(() => instance?.onPrepare({} as never, capabilities)).rejects.toThrow(
+      'Electron version must be 26 or higher for auto-configuration of Chromedriver.  If you want to use an older version of Electron, you must configure Chromedriver manually using the wdio:chromedriverOptions capability',
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should not throw an error when the local Electron version is older than v26 and Chromedriver is configured manually', async () => {
+    instance = new LaunchService(
+      options,
+      [] as never,
+      {
+        services: [['electron', options]],
+        rootDir: getFixtureDir('old-electron'),
+      } as Options.Testrunner,
+    );
+    const capabilities: WebdriverIO.Capabilities[] = [
+      {
+        'browserName': 'electron',
+        'wdio:chromedriverOptions': {
+          binary: '/path/to/chromedriver',
+        },
+      },
+    ];
+    await instance?.onPrepare({} as never, capabilities);
+    expect(capabilities[0]).toEqual({
+      'browserName': 'chrome',
+      'browserVersion': '114.0.5735.45',
+      'goog:chromeOptions': {
+        args: [],
+        binary: 'workspace/my-test-app/dist/my-test-app',
+        windowTypes: ['app', 'webview'],
+      },
+      'wdio:chromedriverOptions': {
+        binary: '/path/to/chromedriver',
+      },
+      'wdio:electronServiceOptions': {},
+      'wdio:enforceWebDriverClassic': true,
+    });
+  });
+
   it('should throw an error when appBinaryPath is not specified and no build tool is found', async () => {
     delete options.appBinaryPath;
     (getAppBuildInfo as Mock).mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('b0rk - no build tool found'));
@@ -230,7 +287,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
     await instance?.onPrepare({} as never, capabilities);
     expect(capabilities[0]).toEqual({
       'browserName': 'chrome',
-      'browserVersion': '114.0.5735.45',
+      'browserVersion': '116.0.5845.82',
       'goog:chromeOptions': {
         args: [],
         binary: 'workspace/my-test-app/dist/my-test-app',
@@ -286,7 +343,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
     await instance?.onPrepare({} as never, capabilities);
     expect(capabilities[0]).toEqual({
       'browserName': 'chrome',
-      'browserVersion': '114.0.5735.45',
+      'browserVersion': '116.0.5845.82',
       'goog:chromeOptions': {
         args: [],
         binary: 'workspace/my-test-app/dist/my-test-app',
@@ -533,7 +590,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
       myElectronProject: {
         capabilities: {
           browserName: 'electron',
-          browserVersion: '26.2.2',
+          browserVersion: '32.0.1',
         },
       },
       chrome: {
@@ -546,7 +603,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
           firstMatch: [],
           alwaysMatch: {
             browserName: 'electron',
-            browserVersion: '25.0.0',
+            browserVersion: '26.2.2',
           },
         },
       },
@@ -561,7 +618,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
       myElectronProject: {
         capabilities: {
           'browserName': 'chrome',
-          'browserVersion': '116.0.5845.190',
+          'browserVersion': '128.0.6613.36',
           'goog:chromeOptions': {
             args: [],
             binary: 'workspace/my-test-app/dist/my-test-app',
@@ -581,7 +638,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
           firstMatch: [],
           alwaysMatch: {
             'browserName': 'chrome',
-            'browserVersion': '114.0.5735.45',
+            'browserVersion': '116.0.5845.190',
             'goog:chromeOptions': {
               args: [],
               binary: 'workspace/my-test-app/dist/my-test-app',
@@ -606,7 +663,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
         myElectronProject: {
           capabilities: {
             browserName: 'electron',
-            browserVersion: '26.2.2',
+            browserVersion: '32.0.1',
           },
         },
       },
@@ -621,7 +678,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
             firstMatch: [],
             alwaysMatch: {
               browserName: 'electron',
-              browserVersion: '25.0.0',
+              browserVersion: '26.2.2',
             },
           },
         },
@@ -638,7 +695,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
         myElectronProject: {
           capabilities: {
             'browserName': 'chrome',
-            'browserVersion': '116.0.5845.190',
+            'browserVersion': '128.0.6613.36',
             'goog:chromeOptions': {
               args: [],
               binary: 'workspace/my-test-app/dist/my-test-app',
@@ -660,7 +717,7 @@ describe('onPrepare', () => {
             firstMatch: [],
             alwaysMatch: {
               'browserName': 'chrome',
-              'browserVersion': '114.0.5735.45',
+              'browserVersion': '116.0.5845.190',
               'goog:chromeOptions': {
                 args: [],
                 binary: 'workspace/my-test-app/dist/my-test-app',