diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust.yml b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
index 4574ff56..73bd1602 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
@@ -4,23 +4,17 @@ on: [push]
 
 jobs:
   build:
-    strategy:
-      matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-latest]
     runs-on: [ lq_run ]
     
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Set Version ENV
-      run: pushd src; echo "::set-env name=VERSION::$(cat VERSION_STRING)"
-      env:
-        ACTIONS_ALLOW_UNSECURE_COMMANDS: 'true'
+      run: echo "VERSION=$(cat src/VERSION_STRING)" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
     - name: Check env var
       run: |
          echo ${{ env.VERSION }}
     - name: Install dependencies
-      run: sudo /bin/apt-get update; sudo /bin/apt-get install --no-install-recommends python3-pip clang gcc gcc-multilib llvm libelf-dev git nano graphviz esbuild curl screen llvm pkg-config linux-tools-common linux-tools-`/bin/uname r` libbpf-dev mold curl unzip
-      if: matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest'
+      run: sudo /bin/apt-get update; sudo /bin/apt-get install --no-install-recommends python3-pip clang gcc gcc-multilib llvm libelf-dev graphviz esbuild pkg-config bpftool libbpf-dev mold unzip
     - name: Build
       run: pushd src/rust; cargo build --verbose --all; popd
     - name: Run tests
@@ -35,13 +29,10 @@ jobs:
         path: src/dist/libreqos_${{ env.VERSION }}.-1_amd64.deb
   
   audit:
-    strategy:
-      matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-latest]
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Install tools
       run: pushd src/rust; cargo install cargo-audit; popd
     - name: Audit for CVEs
diff --git a/src/rust/lqos_sys/build.rs b/src/rust/lqos_sys/build.rs
index a02b60a9..15d79dae 100644
--- a/src/rust/lqos_sys/build.rs
+++ b/src/rust/lqos_sys/build.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,37 @@ fn command_warnings_errors_only(section: &str, command_result: &std::io::Result<
     }
 }
 
+fn require_successful_output(section: &str, command_result: std::io::Result<Output>) -> Output {
+    match command_result {
+        Ok(output) => {
+            if !output.stderr.is_empty() {
+                println!(
+                    "cargo:warning=[{section}] {}",
+                    String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+                );
+            }
+
+            if !output.status.success() {
+                panic!(
+                    "{section} failed with status {}",
+                    output
+                        .status
+                        .code()
+                        .map_or_else(|| "signal".to_string(), |code| code.to_string())
+                );
+            }
+
+            output
+        }
+        Err(error) => {
+            panic!(
+                "{section} is required to build lqos_sys but was not available: {error}. \
+Install bpftool (or provide it in PATH) before building."
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn main() {
     let out_dir = env::var_os("OUT_DIR").unwrap();
 
@@ -84,7 +115,8 @@ fn main() {
         .args(["gen", "skeleton", &link_target])
         .output();
     command_warnings_errors_only("bpf skel", &skel_result);
-    let header_file = String::from_utf8(skel_result.unwrap().stdout).unwrap();
+    let skel_output = require_successful_output("bpftool gen skeleton", skel_result);
+    let header_file = String::from_utf8(skel_output.stdout).unwrap();
     std::fs::write(skel_target, header_file).unwrap();
 
     // 4: Copy the wrapper to our out dir