diff --git a/src/_imagingft.c b/src/_imagingft.c
index a35105c9b25..7e9c1fb16b0 100644
--- a/src/_imagingft.c
+++ b/src/_imagingft.c
@@ -1007,7 +1007,13 @@ font_render(FontObject* self, PyObject* args)
             case FT_PIXEL_MODE_GRAY2:
             case FT_PIXEL_MODE_GRAY4:
                 if (!bitmap_converted_ready) {
+
+#if FREETYPE_MAJOR > 2 ||\
+    (FREETYPE_MAJOR == 2 && FREETYPE_MINOR > 6)
                     FT_Bitmap_Init(&bitmap_converted);
+#else
+                    FT_Bitmap_New(&bitmap_converted);
+#endif
                     bitmap_converted_ready = 1;
                 }
                 error = FT_Bitmap_Convert(library, &bitmap, &bitmap_converted, 1);