diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index af33e75..437138c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -76,6 +76,16 @@ fmt:
 vet:
 	$(GO) vet ./...
 
+.PHONY: go-check
+go-check:
+	$(eval MIN_GO_VERSION_STR := $(shell grep -Eo '^go\s+[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' go.mod | cut -d' ' -f2))
+	$(eval MIN_GO_VERSION := $(shell printf "%03d%03d" $(shell echo '$(MIN_GO_VERSION_STR)' | tr '.' ' ')))
+	$(eval GO_VERSION := $(shell printf "%03d%03d" $(shell $(GO) version | grep -Eo '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | tr '.' ' ');))
+	@if [ "$(GO_VERSION)" -lt "$(MIN_GO_VERSION)" ]; then \
+		echo "Act Runner requires Go $(MIN_GO_VERSION_STR) or greater to build. You can get it at https://go.dev/dl/"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
 .PHONY: fmt-check
 fmt-check:
 	@hash gofumpt > /dev/null 2>&1; if [ $$? -ne 0 ]; then \
@@ -94,7 +104,7 @@ test: fmt-check
 install: $(GOFILES)
 	$(GO) install -v -tags '$(TAGS)' -ldflags '$(EXTLDFLAGS)-s -w $(LDFLAGS)'
 
-build: $(EXECUTABLE)
+build: go-check $(EXECUTABLE)
 
 $(EXECUTABLE): $(GOFILES)
 	$(GO) build -v -tags '$(TAGS)' -ldflags '$(EXTLDFLAGS)-s -w $(LDFLAGS)' -o $@