diff --git a/build/scripts/build_haiku_image b/build/scripts/build_haiku_image
index 272c20ad6e..71f05e957d 100755
--- a/build/scripts/build_haiku_image
+++ b/build/scripts/build_haiku_image
@@ -313,9 +313,20 @@ if [ $isCD ]; then
 	echo "Copying boot image ..."
 	$cp "$cdBootFloppy" "$outputDir"
 
-	# build the iso image
-	echo "Building CD image ..."
-	mkisofs -uid 0 -gid 0 -b `basename $cdBootFloppy` -R -V "$cdLabel" -o "$cdImagePath" "$tPrefix"
+	if [ $(which mkisofs) ]; then
+		# build the iso image using mkisofs
+		echo "Building CD image (mkisofs)..."
+		mkisofs -uid 0 -gid 0 -b `basename $cdBootFloppy` -R -V "$cdLabel" -o "$cdImagePath" "$tPrefix"
+	elif [ $(which genisoimage) ]; then
+		# build the iso image using genisoimage
+		echo "Building CD image (genisoimage)..."
+		echo "WARNING: genisoimage fallback has known problems with long filenames!"
+		echo "         Please install mkisofs before making production releases!"
+		genisoimage -r -iso-level 4 -b `basename $cdBootFloppy` -V "$cdLabel" -o "$cdImagePath" "$tPrefix"
+	else
+		echo "you need mkisofs (preferred) or genisoimage to create a CD image."
+		exit 1
+	fi
 
 	# cleanup output dir
 	$rmAttrs -rf "$outputDir"