diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6f7f78c7b..009e18f01 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ CCFLAGS=-std=gnu11 -I$(IDIR) $(WARNFLAGS) -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 $(HARDENING_FLA
 # for dnsmasq we need the nettle crypto library and the gmp maths library
 # We link the two libraries statically. Although this increases the binary file size by about 1 MB, it saves about 5 MB of shared libraries and makes deployment easier
 #LIBS=-pthread -lnettle -lgmp -lhogweed
-LIBS=-pthread -lrt -lcap -Wl,-Bstatic -L/usr/local/lib -lhogweed -lgmp -lnettle -Wl,-Bdynamic
+LIBS=-pthread -lrt -Wl,-Bstatic -L/usr/local/lib -lhogweed -lgmp -lnettle -Wl,-Bdynamic
 # Flags for compiling with libidn : -lidn
 # Flags for compiling with libidn2: -lidn2
 
diff --git a/capabilities.c b/capabilities.c
index 1a33fee83..a583f440f 100644
--- a/capabilities.c
+++ b/capabilities.c
@@ -8,36 +8,68 @@
 *  This file is copyright under the latest version of the EUPL.
 *  Please see LICENSE file for your rights under this license. */
 
+// Definition of LINUX_CAPABILITY_VERSION_*
+#define FTLDNS
+#include "dnsmasq/dnsmasq.h"
+#undef __USE_XOPEN
 #include "FTL.h"
-#include <sys/capability.h>
 
 bool check_capabilities()
 {
-	if(!cap_get_bound(CAP_NET_ADMIN))
+	int capsize = 1; /* for header version 1 */
+	cap_user_header_t hdr = NULL;
+	cap_user_data_t data = NULL;
+
+	/* find version supported by kernel */
+	hdr = calloc(sizeof(*hdr), capsize);
+	memset(hdr, 0, sizeof(*hdr));
+	capget(hdr, NULL);
+
+	if (hdr->version != LINUX_CAPABILITY_VERSION_1)
+	{
+	    /* if unknown version, use largest supported version (3) */
+	    if (hdr->version != LINUX_CAPABILITY_VERSION_2)
+	     hdr->version = LINUX_CAPABILITY_VERSION_3;
+	    capsize = 2;
+	}
+
+	data = calloc(sizeof(*data), capsize);
+	capget(hdr, data); /* Get current values, for verification */
+
+	bool missing = true;
+	if (!(data->permitted & (1 << CAP_NET_ADMIN)))
 	{
 		// Needed for ARP-injection (used when we're the DHCP server)
 		logg("**************************************************************");
 		logg("WARNING: Required linux capability CAP_NET_ADMIN not available");
 		logg("**************************************************************");
-		return false;
+		missing = true;
 	}
-	if(!cap_get_bound(CAP_NET_RAW))
+	if (!(data->permitted & (1 << CAP_NET_RAW)))
 	{
 		// Needed for raw socket access (necessary for ICMP)
 		logg("************************************************************");
 		logg("WARNING: Required linux capability CAP_NET_RAW not available");
 		logg("************************************************************");
-		return false;
+		missing = true;
 	}
-	if(!cap_get_bound(CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE))
+	if (!(data->permitted & (1 << CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE)))
 	{
 		// Necessary for dynamic port binding
 		logg("*********************************************************************");
 		logg("WARNING: Required linux capability CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE not available");
 		logg("*********************************************************************");
-		return false;
+		missing = true;
+	}
+	if (!(data->permitted & (1 << CAP_SETUID)))
+	{
+		// Necessary for changing our own user ID ("daemonizing")
+		logg("*********************************************************************");
+		logg("WARNING: Required linux capability CAP_SETUID not available");
+		logg("*********************************************************************");
+		missing = true;
 	}
 
 	// All okay!
-	return true;
+	return missing;
 }