diff --git a/news.md b/news.md
--- a/news.md
+++ b/news.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 % xmobar - Release notes
 
+## Version 0.22.1 (Oct 11, 2014)
+
+_Bug fixes_
+
+  - Fix compilation in systems that don't need mtl newer than the one
+    shipped with GHC.
+
 ## Version 0.22 (Oct 9, 2014)
 
 _New features_
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 features, like dynamic color management, icons, output templates, and
 extensibility through plugins.
 
-This page documents xmobar 0.22 (see [release notes]).
+This page documents xmobar 0.22.1 (see [release notes]).
 
 [This screenshot] shows xmobar running under [sawfish], with
 antialiased fonts. And [this one] is my desktop with [xmonad] and two
diff --git a/src/Bitmap.hs b/src/Bitmap.hs
--- a/src/Bitmap.hs
+++ b/src/Bitmap.hs
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 
 import Control.Applicative((<|>))
 import Control.Monad
-import Control.Monad.Except(MonadError(..), runExceptT)
 import Control.Monad.Trans(MonadIO(..))
 import Data.Map hiding (foldr, map, filter)
 import Graphics.X11.Xlib
@@ -31,6 +30,18 @@
 
 #ifdef XPM
 import XPMFile(readXPMFile)
+#endif
+
+#if MIN_VERSION_mtl(2, 2, 1)
+import Control.Monad.Except(MonadError(..), runExceptT)
+
+#else
+import Control.Monad.Error(MonadError(..))
+import Control.Monad.Trans.Error(ErrorT, runErrorT)
+
+runExceptT :: ErrorT e m a -> m (Either e a)
+runExceptT = runErrorT
+
 #endif
 
 data BitmapType = Mono Pixel | Poly
diff --git a/src/XPMFile.hsc b/src/XPMFile.hsc
--- a/src/XPMFile.hsc
+++ b/src/XPMFile.hsc
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@
 
 module XPMFile(readXPMFile) where
 
+#if MIN_VERSION_mtl(2, 2, 1)
 import Control.Monad.Except(MonadError(..))
+#else
+import Control.Monad.Error(MonadError(..))
+#endif
 import Control.Monad.Trans(MonadIO(..))
 import Graphics.X11.Xlib(Dimension, Display(..), Drawable, Pixmap)
 import Foreign.C.String(CString, withCString)
diff --git a/xmobar.cabal b/xmobar.cabal
--- a/xmobar.cabal
+++ b/xmobar.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:               xmobar
-version:            0.22
+version:            0.22.1
 homepage:           http://xmobar.org
 synopsis:           A Minimalistic Text Based Status Bar
 description: 	    Xmobar is a minimalistic text based status bar.
@@ -110,8 +110,9 @@
       unix,
       time,
       filepath,
+      transformers,
       X11 >= 1.6.1,
-      mtl >= 2.2.1 && < 2.3,
+      mtl >= 2.1 && < 2.3,
       parsec == 3.1.*,
       HTTP >= 4000,
       stm >= 2.3 && < 2.5