diff --git a/config/sets/annotations-to-attributes.php b/config/sets/annotations-to-attributes.php
index e4c6f802..5ea5003d 100644
--- a/config/sets/annotations-to-attributes.php
+++ b/config/sets/annotations-to-attributes.php
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@
 use Rector\PHPUnit\ValueObject\AnnotationWithValueToAttribute;
 
 return static function (RectorConfig $rectorConfig): void {
+    // safety check, not to run on PHPUnit 9 and bellow where are no attributes
+    if (! class_exists('PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider')) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     $rectorConfig->rules([
         TicketAnnotationToAttributeRector::class,
         TestWithAnnotationToAttributeRector::class,
diff --git a/rules-tests/AnnotationsToAttributes/Rector/ClassMethod/DataProviderAnnotationToAttributeRector/Fixture/external-provider-fqcn.php b/rules-tests/AnnotationsToAttributes/Rector/ClassMethod/DataProviderAnnotationToAttributeRector/Fixture/external-provider-fqcn.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b76711f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/AnnotationsToAttributes/Rector/ClassMethod/DataProviderAnnotationToAttributeRector/Fixture/external-provider-fqcn.php
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\PHPUnit\Tests\AnnotationsToAttributes\Rector\ClassMethod\DataProviderAnnotationToAttributeRector\Fixture;
+
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+final class FooTest extends TestCase
+{
+    /**
+     * @dataProvider \Tests\Foo\ExternalProvider::barProvider
+     **/
+    public function testBar()
+    {
+        self::assertTrue(true);
+    }
+}
+
+final class ExternalProvider
+{
+    public static function barProvider()
+    {}
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/rules/AnnotationsToAttributes/Rector/ClassMethod/DataProviderAnnotationToAttributeRector.php b/rules/AnnotationsToAttributes/Rector/ClassMethod/DataProviderAnnotationToAttributeRector.php
index 59770217..b891c46c 100644
--- a/rules/AnnotationsToAttributes/Rector/ClassMethod/DataProviderAnnotationToAttributeRector.php
+++ b/rules/AnnotationsToAttributes/Rector/ClassMethod/DataProviderAnnotationToAttributeRector.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 use PHPStan\PhpDocParser\Ast\PhpDoc\GenericTagValueNode;
 use PHPStan\PhpDocParser\Ast\PhpDoc\PhpDocTagNode;
 use PHPStan\Reflection\ClassReflection;
+use PHPStan\Reflection\ReflectionProvider;
 use Rector\BetterPhpDocParser\PhpDocInfo\PhpDocInfo;
 use Rector\BetterPhpDocParser\PhpDocInfo\PhpDocInfoFactory;
 use Rector\BetterPhpDocParser\PhpDocManipulator\PhpDocTagRemover;
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ public function __construct(
         private readonly ReflectionResolver $reflectionResolver,
         private readonly DocBlockUpdater $docBlockUpdater,
         private readonly PhpDocInfoFactory $phpDocInfoFactory,
+        private readonly ReflectionProvider $reflectionProvider,
     ) {
     }
 
@@ -120,6 +122,11 @@ public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
             return null;
         }
 
+        // safety check, no to upgrade phpunit annotations to soon
+        if (! $this->reflectionProvider->hasClass('PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider')) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         foreach ($desiredTagValueNodes as $desiredTagValueNode) {
             if (! $desiredTagValueNode->value instanceof GenericTagValueNode) {
                 continue;