diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index bb8928f30b..9c1686f38d 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -201,6 +201,10 @@ if host_machine.system() == 'linux'
 			error('linux_kernel_headers is not set')
 		endif
 
+		if fs.is_samepath(get_option('linux_kernel_headers'), '/usr/include')
+			error('linux_kernel_headers must be set to a Linux kernel header install directory, not your /usr/include')
+		endif
+
 		if not import('fs').is_dir(get_option('linux_kernel_headers'))
 			error('linux_kernel_headers is not set to a valid path')
 		endif
@@ -299,6 +303,10 @@ if not disable_linux_option
 			error('linux_kernel_headers is not set')
 		endif
 
+		if fs.is_samepath(get_option('linux_kernel_headers'), '/usr/include')
+			error('linux_kernel_headers must be set to a Linux kernel header install directory, not your /usr/include')
+		endif
+
 		if not import('fs').is_dir(get_option('linux_kernel_headers'))
 			error('linux_kernel_headers is not set to a valid path')
 		endif