diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0f21774fa..3364e7781 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ else
 	BUILD_STACK_TARGETS = build-in-docker
 endif
 
-.PHONY: all apt-update install version copyfiles copyplugin dokku-lib-dirs man-db plugins dependencies docker-image-labeler lambda-builder netrc sshcommand procfile-util plugn docker aufs stack count vagrant-acl-add vagrant-dokku go-build wget
+.PHONY: all apt-update install version copyfiles copyplugin dokku-lib-dirs check-dependencies man-db plugins dependencies docker-image-labeler lambda-builder netrc sshcommand procfile-util plugn docker aufs stack count vagrant-acl-add vagrant-dokku go-build wget
 
 include docs.mk
 include tests.mk
@@ -42,7 +42,29 @@ include arch.mk
 all:
 	# Type "make install" to install.
 
-install: dependencies version copyfiles dokku-lib-dirs plugin-dependencies plugins
+install: dependencies check-dependencies version copyfiles dokku-lib-dirs plugin-dependencies plugins
+
+# tools the install and every deploy rely on; docker compose may come from
+# either the standalone binary or the compose plugin shipped with docker
+REQUIRED_COMMANDS ?= curl wget docker nginx make cmake jq
+
+check-dependencies:
+	@missing=""; \
+	for cmd in $(REQUIRED_COMMANDS); do \
+		if ! command -v "$$cmd" >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+			missing="$$missing $$cmd"; \
+		fi; \
+	done; \
+	if ! command -v docker-compose >/dev/null 2>&1 && ! docker compose version >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+		missing="$$missing docker-compose"; \
+	fi; \
+	if [ -n "$$missing" ]; then \
+		echo " !     Missing required commands:$$missing"; \
+		echo " !     Install them before running make install, for example:"; \
+		echo " !       apt-get install -y curl wget docker.io docker-compose nginx make cmake jq"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi; \
+	echo "-----> Required commands are installed"
 
 # mirrors setup-storage from debian/postinst so source installs leave the
 # data directory writable by the dokku user, which owns every deploy hook