diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index b997167212..b0278890af 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -5334,6 +5334,8 @@
     },
     "node_modules/@types/semver": {
       "version": "7.7.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/semver/-/semver-7.7.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-FmgJfu+MOcQ370SD0ev7EI8TlCAfKYU+B4m5T3yXc1CiRN94g/SZPtsCkk506aUDtlMnFZvasDwHHUcZUEaYuA==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT"
     },
@@ -18618,8 +18620,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/semver": {
-      "version": "7.7.3",
-      "dev": true,
+      "version": "7.7.4",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/semver/-/semver-7.7.4.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-vFKC2IEtQnVhpT78h1Yp8wzwrf8CM+MzKMHGJZfBtzhZNycRFnXsHk6E5TxIkkMsgNS7mdX3AGB7x2QM2di4lA==",
       "license": "ISC",
       "bin": {
         "semver": "bin/semver.js"
@@ -22045,6 +22048,7 @@
         "fs-extra": "^9.0.1",
         "live-server": "1.2.1",
         "lodash": "^4.17.15",
+        "semver": "^7.7.4",
         "url-parse": "^1.5.10",
         "winston": "^3.19.0",
         "winston-daily-rotate-file": "^5.0.0"
@@ -22058,6 +22062,7 @@
         "@babel/preset-typescript": "^7.28.5",
         "@types/jest": "^29.4.6",
         "@types/lodash": "^4.17.15",
+        "@types/semver": "^7.7.1",
         "@types/url-parse": "^1.4.8",
         "babel-jest": "^29.7.0",
         "diff": "^8.0.3",
diff --git a/packages/cli/index.ts b/packages/cli/index.ts
index 4a594a3325..9e9b7f70ee 100755
--- a/packages/cli/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/index.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { build } from './src/cmd/build.js';
 import { deploy } from './src/cmd/deploy.js';
 import { init } from './src/cmd/init.js';
 import { serve } from './src/cmd/serve.js';
+import { preFlightChecks } from './src/util/preFlightChecks.js';
 import packageJson from './package.json' with { type: 'json' };
 
 const CLI_VERSION = packageJson.version;
@@ -23,6 +24,9 @@ function printHeader() {
   return '';
 }
 
+program
+  .hook('preAction', () => preFlightChecks());
+
 program
   .addHelpText('beforeAll', printHeader())
   .showHelpAfterError('(run "markbind --help" to list commands)')
diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index 398fdc1d89..6b2f73b993 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
     "fs-extra": "^9.0.1",
     "live-server": "1.2.1",
     "lodash": "^4.17.15",
+    "semver": "^7.7.4",
     "url-parse": "^1.5.10",
     "winston": "^3.19.0",
     "winston-daily-rotate-file": "^5.0.0"
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@
     "@babel/core": "^7.29.0",
     "@babel/preset-env": "^7.29.0",
     "@babel/preset-typescript": "^7.28.5",
+    "@types/semver": "^7.7.1",
     "@types/jest": "^29.4.6",
     "@types/lodash": "^4.17.15",
     "@types/url-parse": "^1.4.8",
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/util/preFlightChecks.ts b/packages/cli/src/util/preFlightChecks.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5df97f4e69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/util/preFlightChecks.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import * as semver from 'semver';
+import * as logger from './logger.js';
+import packageJson from '../../package.json' with { type: 'json' };
+
+const CLI_VERSION = packageJson.version;
+const REQUIRED_NODE_VERSION = '22.12.0';
+
+function checkNode() {
+  const nodeVersion = process.version;
+  const version = semver.coerce(nodeVersion);
+
+  if (version === null) {
+    logger.warn('Unknown version of node detected.');
+    return;
+  }
+  if (semver.lt(version, REQUIRED_NODE_VERSION)) {
+    logger.error(
+      `Markbind ${CLI_VERSION} requires node >=${REQUIRED_NODE_VERSION}. `
+        + 'Please update node or use an older version of Markbind!',
+    );
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Performs pre-usage checks to ensure the application will run as expected.
+ * This method may exit the process if checks fail.
+ */
+export function preFlightChecks() {
+  checkNode();
+}