diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 1abb193de..0d5d96cd1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
 option(IMHEX_OFFLINE_BUILD "Enable offline build" OFF)
 option(IMHEX_IGNORE_BAD_CLONE "Disabled the bad clone prevention checks" OFF)
 option(IMHEX_PATTERNS_PULL_MASTER "Download latest files from master branch of the ImHex-Patterns repo" OFF)
+option(IMHEX_IGNORE_BAD_COMPILER "Allow compiling with an unsupported compiler" OFF)
 
 # Basic compiler and cmake configurations
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 23)
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ project(imhex VERSION ${IMHEX_VERSION})
 # Make sure project is configured correctly
 setDefaultBuiltTypeIfUnset()
 detectBadClone()
+verifyCompiler()
 
 # List plugin names here. Project name must match folder name
 set(PLUGINS
diff --git a/cmake/build_helpers.cmake b/cmake/build_helpers.cmake
index b4658f17b..8f305b1c6 100644
--- a/cmake/build_helpers.cmake
+++ b/cmake/build_helpers.cmake
@@ -309,6 +309,18 @@ function(detectBadClone)
     endforeach ()
 endfunction()
 
+set(IMHEX_REQUIRED_COMPILER "GNU")
+set(IMHEX_MIN_COMPILER_VERSION "12.1.0")
+function(verifyCompiler)
+    if (IMHEX_IGNORE_BAD_COMPILER)
+        return()
+    endif()
+
+    if (NOT CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL ${IMHEX_REQUIRED_COMPILER} OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_LESS ${IMHEX_MIN_COMPILER_VERSION})
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "ImHex requires GCC ${IMHEX_MIN_COMPILER_VERSION} or newer. Please use the latest GCC version.")
+    endif()
+endfunction()
+
 macro(setVariableInParent variable value)
     get_directory_property(hasParent PARENT_DIRECTORY)