diff --git a/.github/scripts/qemu/run-qemu-build.sh b/.github/scripts/qemu/run-qemu-build.sh
index 0c536f5964..75f856a887 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/qemu/run-qemu-build.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/qemu/run-qemu-build.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@
 #   MESON_ARGS, MESON_TEST_ARGS, FDO_CI_CONCURRENT  (passed into the rootfs)
 #
 # Run as root (workflow uses `sudo`). The runner's own OS stays untouched:
-# only qemu-user-static/binfmt-support/debootstrap get installed on it.
+# only qemu-user-static (or qemu-user + qemu-user-binfmt), binfmt-support and
+# debootstrap get installed on it.
 
 set -e
 set -x  # Debug: print every command
@@ -54,11 +55,23 @@ echo "=== [$(date)] Starting QEMU build for $ARCH ($QEMU, $SUITE, $MIRROR) ==="
 # --- host side: prepare the emulator + debootstrap -------------------------
 echo "=== [$(date)] Installing host packages ==="
 apt-get update
-apt-get install -y \
-    qemu-user-static \
-    binfmt-support \
-    debootstrap \
-    wget
+# Ubuntu 26.04 dropped qemu-user-static: qemu-user now ships the static
+# binaries (without the -static suffix) and qemu-user-binfmt registers them.
+if ! apt-get install -y qemu-user-static binfmt-support debootstrap wget; then
+    apt-get install -y qemu-user qemu-user-binfmt binfmt-support debootstrap wget
+fi
+
+QEMU_BIN=/usr/bin/$QEMU
+[ -x "$QEMU_BIN" ] || QEMU_BIN=/usr/bin/${QEMU%-static}
+# binfmt_misc runs the interpreter at its registered path inside the chroot
+QEMU_BINFMT=/proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/$(basename "${QEMU%-static}")
+[ -e "$QEMU_BINFMT" ] || systemctl restart systemd-binfmt || true
+if [ ! -x "$QEMU_BIN" ] || [ ! -e "$QEMU_BINFMT" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: no $QEMU_BIN or no binfmt_misc entry $QEMU_BINFMT" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+cat "$QEMU_BINFMT"
+QEMU_INTERP=$(grep '^interpreter ' "$QEMU_BINFMT" | cut -d' ' -f2)
 
 # debian-ports (sparc64/alpha) needs the ports archive keyring. The one
 # shipped by the runner's distro (Ubuntu) is routinely out of date and misses
@@ -100,7 +113,8 @@ debootstrap \
 
 # --- register the emulator inside the rootfs and finish the bootstrap -------
 echo "=== [$(date)] Copying qemu binary and running --second-stage ==="
-cp "/usr/bin/$QEMU" "$ROOTFS/usr/bin/"
+mkdir -p "$ROOTFS$(dirname "${QEMU_INTERP:-$QEMU_BIN}")"
+cp "$QEMU_BIN" "$ROOTFS${QEMU_INTERP:-$QEMU_BIN}"
 chroot "$ROOTFS" /debootstrap/debootstrap --second-stage
 
 # Copy debian-ports keyring into chroot for apt verification. apt only trusts