diff --git a/Make.inc b/Make.inc
index 01641ce7d55197..94a3f195cf05c3 100644
--- a/Make.inc
+++ b/Make.inc
@@ -451,6 +451,11 @@ XC_HOST := $(ARCH)$(shell echo $(BUILD_MACHINE) | sed "s/[^-]*\(.*\)$$/\1/")
 MARCH = $(ARCH)
 endif
 
+# Detect common pre-SSE2 MARCH values known not to work
+ifneq ($(findstring $(MARCH),i386 i486 i586 i686 pentium pentium2 pentium3),)
+$(error Pre-SSE2 builds are not supported. To create a generic binary, pass MARCH=pentium4)
+endif
+
 ifneq ($(MARCH),)
 CC += -march=$(MARCH)
 CXX += -march=$(MARCH)