diff --git a/homeassistant/loader.py b/homeassistant/loader.py
index e186c5d24ba..fbbd4ad3ae6 100644
--- a/homeassistant/loader.py
+++ b/homeassistant/loader.py
@@ -322,6 +322,14 @@ class Integration:
                 return integration
 
             _LOGGER.warning(CUSTOM_WARNING, integration.domain)
+            if integration.version is None:
+                _LOGGER.error(
+                    "The custom integration '%s' does not have a "
+                    "version key in the manifest file and was blocked from loading. "
+                    "See https://developers.home-assistant.io/blog/2021/01/29/custom-integration-changes#versions for more details",
+                    integration.domain,
+                )
+                return None
             try:
                 AwesomeVersion(
                     integration.version,
diff --git a/homeassistant/package_constraints.txt b/homeassistant/package_constraints.txt
index 4888193f6a9..05ec806654e 100644
--- a/homeassistant/package_constraints.txt
+++ b/homeassistant/package_constraints.txt
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ astral==2.2
 async-upnp-client==0.20.0
 async_timeout==3.0.1
 attrs==21.2.0
-awesomeversion==21.4.0
+awesomeversion==21.8.1
 backports.zoneinfo;python_version<"3.9"
 bcrypt==3.1.7
 certifi>=2020.12.5
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 1ea8772728e..7f986750b81 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ aiohttp==3.7.4.post0
 astral==2.2
 async_timeout==3.0.1
 attrs==21.2.0
-awesomeversion==21.4.0
+awesomeversion==21.8.1
 backports.zoneinfo;python_version<"3.9"
 bcrypt==3.1.7
 certifi>=2020.12.5
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index eb33b492beb..852cc89bbc5 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ REQUIRES = [
     "astral==2.2",
     "async_timeout==3.0.1",
     "attrs==21.2.0",
-    "awesomeversion==21.4.0",
+    "awesomeversion==21.8.1",
     'backports.zoneinfo;python_version<"3.9"',
     "bcrypt==3.1.7",
     "certifi>=2020.12.5",
diff --git a/tests/test_loader.py b/tests/test_loader.py
index 9786c9fdcfb..892e2da9c51 100644
--- a/tests/test_loader.py
+++ b/tests/test_loader.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ async def test_custom_integration_version_not_valid(
         await loader.async_get_integration(hass, "test_no_version")
 
     assert (
-        "The custom integration 'test_no_version' does not have a valid version key (None) in the manifest file and was blocked from loading."
+        "The custom integration 'test_no_version' does not have a version key in the manifest file and was blocked from loading."
         in caplog.text
     )