diff --git a/debian/patches/cross.patch b/debian/patches/cross.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b52f8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/patches/cross.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+Description: Fix cross build
+ ibutils fails to cross build from source, because it abuses
+ AC_CHECK_FILE to discover includes. AC_CHECK_FILE is meant for
+ discovering files on the host machine, but here it is being used for
+ discovering files on the build machine. A simple test -f is better and
+ makes ibutils cross buildable.
+Bug-Debian: https://bugs.debian.org/900673
+
+--- ibutils-1.5.7+0.2.gbd7e502.orig/ibis/config/osm.m4
++++ ibutils-1.5.7+0.2.gbd7e502/ibis/config/osm.m4
+@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
+ 
+ 
+    dnl validate the defined path - so the build id header is there
+-   AC_CHECK_FILE($osm_include_dir/opensm/osm_config.h,,
++   AS_IF([test -f "$osm_include_dir/opensm/osm_config.h"],,
+       AC_MSG_ERROR([OSM: could not find $with_osm/include/opensm/osm_config.h]))
+ 
+    dnl now figure out somehow if the build was for debug or not
+--- ibutils-1.5.7+0.2.gbd7e502.orig/config/osm.m4
++++ ibutils-1.5.7+0.2.gbd7e502/config/osm.m4
+@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
+ 
+ 
+    dnl validate the defined path - so the build id header is there
+-   AC_CHECK_FILE($osm_include_dir/opensm/osm_config.h,,
++   AS_IF([test -f "$osm_include_dir/opensm/osm_config.h"],,
+       AC_MSG_ERROR([OSM: could not find $with_osm/include/opensm/osm_config.h]))
+ 
+    dnl now figure out somehow if the build was for debug or not
+--- ibutils-1.5.7+0.2.gbd7e502.orig/ibmgtsim/config/osm.m4
++++ ibutils-1.5.7+0.2.gbd7e502/ibmgtsim/config/osm.m4
+@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
+ 
+ 
+    dnl validate the defined path - so the build id header is there
+-   AC_CHECK_FILE($osm_include_dir/opensm/osm_config.h,,
++   AS_IF([test -f "$osm_include_dir/opensm/osm_config.h"],,
+       AC_MSG_ERROR([OSM: could not find $with_osm/include/opensm/osm_config.h]))
+ 
+    dnl now figure out somehow if the build was for debug or not
diff --git a/debian/patches/series b/debian/patches/series
index cf8bca4..78935a6 100644
--- a/debian/patches/series
+++ b/debian/patches/series
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@
 03-remove-rpath.patch
 do_not_use_tmp.patch
 makefile_dependencies.patch
+cross.patch