diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_join.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_join.sh
index 29f0c99d9a466..74cc8a74a9d65 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_join.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_join.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ capout=""
 ns1=""
 ns2=""
 ksft_skip=4
+iptables="iptables"
+ip6tables="ip6tables"
 timeout_poll=30
 timeout_test=$((timeout_poll * 2 + 1))
 capture=0
@@ -146,7 +148,11 @@ check_tools()
 		exit $ksft_skip
 	fi
 
-	if ! iptables -V &> /dev/null; then
+	# Use the legacy version if available to support old kernel versions
+	if iptables-legacy -V &> /dev/null; then
+		iptables="iptables-legacy"
+		ip6tables="ip6tables-legacy"
+	elif ! iptables -V &> /dev/null; then
 		echo "SKIP: Could not run all tests without iptables tool"
 		exit $ksft_skip
 	fi
@@ -247,9 +253,9 @@ reset_with_add_addr_timeout()
 
 	reset "${1}" || return 1
 
-	tables="iptables"
+	tables="${iptables}"
 	if [ $ip -eq 6 ]; then
-		tables="ip6tables"
+		tables="${ip6tables}"
 	fi
 
 	ip netns exec $ns1 sysctl -q net.mptcp.add_addr_timeout=1
@@ -314,9 +320,9 @@ reset_with_fail()
 	local ip="${3:-4}"
 	local tables
 
-	tables="iptables"
+	tables="${iptables}"
 	if [ $ip -eq 6 ]; then
-		tables="ip6tables"
+		tables="${ip6tables}"
 	fi
 
 	ip netns exec $ns2 $tables \
@@ -704,7 +710,7 @@ filter_tcp_from()
 	local src="${2}"
 	local target="${3}"
 
-	ip netns exec "${ns}" iptables -A INPUT -s "${src}" -p tcp -j "${target}"
+	ip netns exec "${ns}" ${iptables} -A INPUT -s "${src}" -p tcp -j "${target}"
 }
 
 do_transfer()