diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f53324f..a20d113 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -13,11 +13,27 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 SHELL := $(shell which /bin/bash)
+HAVE_QEMU := $(shell [[ -f /var/lib/binfmts/qemu-aarch64 ]] && echo yes)
+HAVE_FIXATED_QEMU := $(shell [[ -f /var/lib/binfmts/qemu-aarch64 ]] && tail -n1 /var/lib/binfmts/qemu-aarch64)
 
 ifeq ($(ROOTDIR),)
 $(error $$ROOTDIR IS NOT DEFINED -- don\'t forget to source setup.sh)
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(HAVE_QEMU),)
+$(error qemu-user-static is either not installed or not configured properly.)
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(HAVE_FIXATED_QEMU),)
+$(warning Your version of qemu-user-static is too old and does not support)
+$(warning fixated binaries. On Debian-based systems, you can run)
+$(warning `build/fix_aarch64_binfmts.sh` to update your system binfmts)
+$(warning to fixate the aarch64 interpreter in kernel space.)
+$(warning )
+$(warning NOTE: This will modify the global state of your system!)
+$(error Build cannot continue)
+endif
+
 include $(ROOTDIR)/build/preamble.mk
 
 precheck:
diff --git a/fix_aarch64_binfmts.sh b/fix_aarch64_binfmts.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..8de6e2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fix_aarch64_binfmts.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/bash -xe
+
+sudo update-binfmts --package qemu-user-static --remove qemu-aarch64 /usr/bin/qemu-aarch64-static
+sudo update-binfmts \
+	--package qemu-user-static \
+	--install qemu-aarch64 /usr/bin/qemu-aarch64-static \
+	--magic '\x7f\x45\x4c\x46\x02\x01\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x02\x00\xb7\x00' \
+	--mask '\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\x00\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xfe\xff\xff\xff' \
+	--offset 0 \
+	--credential yes \
+	--fix-binary yes