diff --git a/misc-tools/dj_make_chroot.in b/misc-tools/dj_make_chroot.in
index aa9f80e772..53b0d7c1f5 100755
--- a/misc-tools/dj_make_chroot.in
+++ b/misc-tools/dj_make_chroot.in
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ RELEASE=""
 DEBIAN_ARCHLIST="amd64,arm64,armel,armhf,i386,mips,mips64el,mipsel,ppc64el,s390x"
 UBUNTU_ARCHLIST="amd64,arm64,armhf,i386,powerpc,ppc64el,s390x"
 
+if ! command -v lsb_release; then
+    echo "Please install `lsb_release`."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # If host system is Debian or Ubuntu, use its release and architecture by default
 if [ "$(lsb_release -i -s || true)" = 'Debian' ] || \
    [ "$(lsb_release -i -s || true)" = 'Ubuntu' ]; then