diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9279b406..dc0be18c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ or include gem in Gemfile if using bundler.
 
 In addition install either ruby-oci8 (for MRI/YARV) or copy Oracle JDBC driver to $JRUBY_HOME/lib (for JRuby).
 
-If you are using MRI Ruby implementation then you need to install ruby-oci8 gem (version 2.0.x or 2.1.x)
+If you are using MRI Ruby implementation then you need to install ruby-oci8 gem (version 2.1 or higher)
 as well as Oracle client, e.g. [Oracle Instant Client](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/features/instant-client/index-097480.html).
 
 If you are using JRuby then you need to download latest [Oracle JDBC driver](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/jdbc-112010-090769.html) - either ojdbc7.jar for Java 8 and 7, ojdbc6.jar for Java 6, 7, 8 or ojdbc5.jar for Java 5. You can refer [the support matrix](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/jdbc-faq-090281.html#01_03) for details.
diff --git a/lib/plsql/oci8_patches.rb b/lib/plsql/oci8_patches.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 66d1e413..00000000
--- a/lib/plsql/oci8_patches.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-# apply TIMESTAMP fractional seconds patch to ruby-oci8 2.0.3
-# see http://rubyforge.org/forum/forum.php?thread_id=46576&forum_id=1078
-if OCI8::VERSION == "2.0.3" &&
-  !OCI8::BindType::Util.method_defined?(:datetime_to_array_without_timestamp_patch)
-
-  OCI8::BindType::Util.module_eval do
-    alias :datetime_to_array_without_timestamp_patch :datetime_to_array
-    def datetime_to_array(val, full)
-      result = datetime_to_array_without_timestamp_patch(val, full)
-      if result && result[6] == 0
-        if val.respond_to? :nsec
-          fsec = val.nsec
-        elsif val.respond_to? :usec
-          fsec = val.usec * 1000
-        else
-          fsec = 0
-        end
-        result[6] = fsec
-      end
-      result
-    end
-    private :datetime_to_array_without_timestamp_patch, :datetime_to_array
-  end
-
-end
diff --git a/lib/plsql/oci_connection.rb b/lib/plsql/oci_connection.rb
index ca5e9bee..168a9b40 100644
--- a/lib/plsql/oci_connection.rb
+++ b/lib/plsql/oci_connection.rb
@@ -14,13 +14,9 @@
   raise LoadError, "ERROR: ruby-plsql could not load ruby-oci8 library. #{msg}"
 end
 
-require "plsql/oci8_patches"
-
 # check ruby-oci8 version
-required_oci8_version = [2, 0, 3]
-oci8_version_ints = OCI8::VERSION.scan(/\d+/).map { |s| s.to_i }
-if (oci8_version_ints <=> required_oci8_version) < 0
-  raise LoadError, "ERROR: ruby-oci8 version #{OCI8::VERSION} is too old. Please install ruby-oci8 version #{required_oci8_version.join('.')} or later."
+if Gem::Version.new(OCI8::VERSION) < Gem::Version.new("2.1.0")
+  raise LoadError, "ERROR: ruby-oci8 version #{OCI8::VERSION} is too old. Please install ruby-oci8 version 2.1.0 or later."
 end
 
 module PLSQL