diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a734d6b5b..64b296e30 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 # Makefile versions
-MAKEFILE_VERSION := 2.0
+MAKEFILE_VERSION := 2.1
 UPDATE_VERSION := make/latest
 
 # Repository versions
@@ -175,6 +175,48 @@ docs:
 	@echo "* $(CLR_BLUE)$(SRC_TAGGED_URL_BASE)/docs/user-guide.md$(CLR_END)"
 	@echo ""
 
+verify_tooling: .venv
+	@( \
+		. .venv/bin/activate; \
+		python3 --version &> /dev/null && \
+		( \
+			python3 -c "import sys; sys.version_info < (3,11) and sys.exit(1)" || \
+			( \
+				python3 --version && \
+				echo '$(CLR_RED)Python version is too old!$(CLR_END)' && \
+				echo '$(CLR_RED)Python v3.11 or later is required.$(CLR_END)' && \
+				exit 1 \
+			) \
+		) || ( \
+			echo '$(CLR_RED)Python is not installed!$(CLR_END)' && \
+			exit 1 \
+		); \
+	)
+	@( \
+		docker --version &> /dev/null || ( \
+			echo '$(CLR_RED)Docker is not installed!$(CLR_END)' && \
+			exit 1 \
+		); \
+	)
+	@( \
+		git --version &> /dev/null || ( \
+			echo '$(CLR_RED)Git is not installed!$(CLR_END)' && \
+			exit 1 \
+		); \
+	)
+	@( \
+		sed --version &> /dev/null || ( \
+			echo '$(CLR_RED)Sed is not installed!$(CLR_END)' && \
+			exit 1 \
+		); \
+	)
+	@( \
+		jq --version &> /dev/null || ( \
+			echo '$(CLR_RED)Jq is not installed!$(CLR_END)' && \
+			exit 1 \
+		); \
+	)
+
 pre_build: build_deps docker version_number git_ignore
 
 pre_deps_build: deps docker version_number git_ignore
@@ -194,7 +236,7 @@ post_build:
 	@echo "$(CLR_GREEN)To deploy ADF, please run:$(CLR_END) make deploy"
 	@echo ""
 
-build: pre_build sam_build post_build
+build: verify_tooling pre_build sam_build post_build
 
 deps_build: pre_deps_build sam_build post_build
 
diff --git a/docs/installation-guide.md b/docs/installation-guide.md
index 9669bd06c..03ee39f49 100644
--- a/docs/installation-guide.md
+++ b/docs/installation-guide.md
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ Please note that building on *Windows* is not supported, please use the
 - [python 3](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
   - To test if it is available, run `python --version`.
     This should return 3.11 or later.
+- [jq](https://github.com/jqlang/jq)
+  - To test if it is available, run `jq --version`.
+    This version should be 1.6 or later.
 - [sed](https://www.gnu.org/software/sed/)
   - To test if it is available, run `sed --version`.
     This should return 4.3 or later.