diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 1b778966..63596938 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ target_sources(tomato PUBLIC
 	./main.cpp
 	./icon.rc
 
+	./sys_check.hpp
+	./sys_check.cpp
+
 	./json_to_config.hpp
 	./json_to_config.cpp
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 270b1699..f38e588e 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #include "./theme.hpp"
 #include "./chat_gui/theme.hpp"
 
+#include "./sys_check.hpp"
+
 #include "./start_screen.hpp"
 
 #include <filesystem>
@@ -24,6 +26,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 		args.push_back(argv[i]);
 	}
 
+	runSysCheck();
+
 #ifdef __ANDROID__
 	// change current working dir to internal storage
 	std::filesystem::current_path(SDL_AndroidGetInternalStoragePath());
diff --git a/src/sys_check.cpp b/src/sys_check.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e6446d9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sys_check.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#include "./sys_check.hpp"
+
+// use message boxes to notify the user of system failure
+#include <SDL3/SDL.h>
+
+#include <cstdlib>
+
+#if defined(_WIN32) || defined(WIN32)
+
+#ifndef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#endif
+
+#include <windows.h>
+
+typedef LONG NTSTATUS, *PNTSTATUS;
+#define STATUS_SUCCESS (0x00000000)
+
+void runSysCheck(void) {
+	NTSTATUS(WINAPI *RtlGetVersion)(LPOSVERSIONINFOEXW);
+	OSVERSIONINFOEXW osInfo;
+
+	*(FARPROC*)&RtlGetVersion = GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandleA("ntdll"), "RtlGetVersion");
+
+	if (NULL != RtlGetVersion) {
+		osInfo.dwOSVersionInfoSize = sizeof(osInfo);
+		RtlGetVersion(&osInfo);
+
+		// check
+		if (
+			osInfo.dwBuildNumber >= 26000 // canary versions of 11 24H2 included
+		) {
+			SDL_ShowSimpleMessageBox(SDL_MESSAGEBOX_ERROR, "Unsupported System", "Your version of windows is too new and endangers the privacy of all involved.", nullptr);
+			exit(0);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+#else
+
+void runSysCheck(void) {
+	// do nothing
+}
+
+#endif
+
diff --git a/src/sys_check.hpp b/src/sys_check.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea324b0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sys_check.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#pragma once
+
+// perform system checks and potentially terminate
+void runSysCheck(void);