diff --git a/ci/runner-cloud-init.yaml b/ci/runner-cloud-init.yaml
index c2db181..c05e32e 100644
--- a/ci/runner-cloud-init.yaml
+++ b/ci/runner-cloud-init.yaml
@@ -68,10 +68,14 @@ runcmd:
   - chage -d "$(date +%F)" -M -1 root
   - systemctl enable --now docker
   # aarch64 builds run under user-mode emulation (DO has no arm droplets).
-  # Register QEMU with the F and C flags via the multiarch image, exactly as
-  # helpers/docker-helpers.sh setup_qemu does: Ubuntu's qemu-user-static
-  # package registers without C, so sudo inside the emulated container fails
-  # with "effective uid is not 0". Best-effort: an x86-only job never needs it.
-  - docker run --rm --privileged docker.io/multiarch/qemu-user-static --reset -p yes --credential yes || true
+  # Register QEMU with the F and C flags via tonistiigi/binfmt, exactly as
+  # helpers/docker-helpers.sh setup_qemu does. Ubuntu's qemu-user-static
+  # registers without C, so sudo inside the emulated container fails with
+  # "effective uid is not 0"; multiarch/qemu-user-static is abandoned at QEMU
+  # 7.2, under which qmake's compiler probe returns nothing on current gcc
+  # ("failed to parse default include paths", PR #517). Pin the emulator
+  # version: the tag is the only thing that decides what every aarch64 build
+  # runs under. Best-effort: an x86-only job never needs it.
+  - docker run --rm --privileged docker.io/tonistiigi/binfmt:qemu-v10.2.3-68 --uninstall qemu-aarch64 --install arm64 || true
   - chown -R runner:runner /home/runner
   - sudo -u runner /home/runner/start.sh > /home/runner/runner.log 2>&1
diff --git a/helpers/docker-helpers.sh b/helpers/docker-helpers.sh
index cc18222..22c8004 100644
--- a/helpers/docker-helpers.sh
+++ b/helpers/docker-helpers.sh
@@ -91,8 +91,19 @@ setup_qemu() {
     exit 1
   fi
 
-  # Register emulators for builds whose target differs from the host.
-  if ! "$CONTAINER_ENGINE" run --rm --privileged docker.io/multiarch/qemu-user-static --reset -p yes --credential yes >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  # Register emulators for builds whose target differs from the host, with
+  # the F and C flags (tonistiigi/binfmt always sets both). The image tag pins
+  # the QEMU version every emulated build runs under; multiarch/qemu-user-static
+  # stopped at QEMU 7.2, which breaks qmake's compiler probe on current gcc.
+  # Keep ci/runner-cloud-init.yaml on the same tag. Uninstall first: install
+  # leaves an existing registration (an older emulator) in place and exits 0.
+  local platform_arch
+  case "$target_arch" in
+    aarch64) platform_arch=arm64 ;;
+    x86_64) platform_arch=amd64 ;;
+    *) platform_arch="$target_arch" ;;
+  esac
+  if ! "$CONTAINER_ENGINE" run --rm --privileged docker.io/tonistiigi/binfmt:qemu-v10.2.3-68 --uninstall "qemu-$target_arch" --install "$platform_arch" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     print_error "Failed to set up QEMU emulation"
     exit 1
   fi