diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 5b586afc38..9755be79fd 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ config_host = keyval.load(meson.current_build_dir() / 'config-host.mak')
 enable_modules = 'CONFIG_MODULES' in config_host
 enable_static = 'CONFIG_STATIC' in config_host
 build_docs = 'BUILD_DOCS' in config_host
+
+if get_option('qemu_suffix').startswith('/')
+  error('qemu_suffix cannot start with a /')
+endif
+
 qemu_datadir = get_option('datadir') / get_option('qemu_suffix')
 qemu_docdir = get_option('docdir') / get_option('qemu_suffix')
 config_host_data = configuration_data()