diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8d0ef4e11..caa5d0cd2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - MastoFE
 
 ### Changed
+- **Breaking:** Elixir >=1.10 is now required (was >= 1.9)
 - Allow users to remove their emails if instance does not need email to register
 - Uploadfilter `Pleroma.Upload.Filter.Exiftool` has been renamed to `Pleroma.Upload.Filter.Exiftool.StripLocation`
 - Updated the recommended pleroma.vcl configuration for Varnish to target Varnish 7.0+
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index e68b7ea7c..44fd3ebcc 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM elixir:1.9-alpine as build
+FROM elixir:1.10-alpine as build
 
 COPY . .
 
diff --git a/ci/Dockerfile b/ci/Dockerfile
index e6a8b438c..5929f832d 100644
--- a/ci/Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM elixir:1.9.4
+FROM elixir:1.10.4
 
 RUN apt-get update &&\
   apt-get install -y libmagic-dev cmake libimage-exiftool-perl ffmpeg &&\
diff --git a/docs/installation/generic_dependencies.include b/docs/installation/generic_dependencies.include
index 2dbd93e42..dcaacfdfd 100644
--- a/docs/installation/generic_dependencies.include
+++ b/docs/installation/generic_dependencies.include
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ## Required dependencies
 
 * PostgreSQL 9.6+
-* Elixir 1.9+
+* Elixir 1.10+
 * Erlang OTP 22.2+
 * git
 * file / libmagic
diff --git a/elixir_buildpack.config b/elixir_buildpack.config
index 946408c12..1102e7145 100644
--- a/elixir_buildpack.config
+++ b/elixir_buildpack.config
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-elixir_version=1.9.4
+elixir_version=1.10.4
 erlang_version=22.3.4.1
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/config/loader.ex b/lib/pleroma/config/loader.ex
index 015be3d8e..bd85eccab 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/config/loader.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/config/loader.ex
@@ -19,21 +19,10 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Config.Loader do
     :tesla
   ]
 
-  if Code.ensure_loaded?(Config.Reader) do
-    @reader Config.Reader
-
-    def read(path), do: @reader.read!(path)
-  else
-    # support for Elixir less than 1.9
-    @reader Mix.Config
-    def read(path) do
-      path
-      |> @reader.eval!()
-      |> elem(0)
-    end
-  end
+  @reader Config.Reader
 
   @spec read(Path.t()) :: keyword()
+  def read(path), do: @reader.read!(path)
 
   @spec merge(keyword(), keyword()) :: keyword()
   def merge(c1, c2), do: @reader.merge(c1, c2)
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index 66390d113..d196eb872 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Mixfile do
     [
       app: :pleroma,
       version: version("2.4.52"),
-      elixir: "~> 1.9",
+      elixir: "~> 1.10",
       elixirc_paths: elixirc_paths(Mix.env()),
       compilers: [:phoenix, :gettext] ++ Mix.compilers(),
       elixirc_options: [warnings_as_errors: warnings_as_errors()],
diff --git a/restarter/mix.exs b/restarter/mix.exs
index 9f26f5f64..4bb9b76e2 100644
--- a/restarter/mix.exs
+++ b/restarter/mix.exs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ defmodule Restarter.MixProject do
     [
       app: :restarter,
       version: "0.1.0",
-      elixir: "~> 1.8",
+      elixir: "~> 1.10",
       start_permanent: Mix.env() == :prod,
       deps: deps()
     ]