diff --git a/bin/create_armv7l_check_exe.sh b/bin/create_armv7l_check_exe.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..dc7e0ef03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/create_armv7l_check_exe.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -eux
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(CDPATH='' cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")" && pwd -P)"
+RESOURCES_DIR="${SCRIPT_DIR}/../cibuildwheel/resources"
+
+docker run --platform linux/arm/v7 -i --rm -v "${RESOURCES_DIR}:/resources" alpine:3.21 << "EOFD"
+apk add build-base
+gcc -s -Os -static -x c -o/resources/linux_armv7l_check - << "EOF"
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
+  puts("armv7l");
+  return 0;
+}
+EOF
+EOFD
diff --git a/cibuildwheel/architecture.py b/cibuildwheel/architecture.py
index 43fa4bdb5..5c7f63db4 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/architecture.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/architecture.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import functools
 import platform as platform_module
 import re
-import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
 from collections.abc import Set
@@ -11,6 +10,7 @@
 from typing import Final, Literal, assert_never
 
 from .typing import PlatformName
+from .util.resources import LINUX_ARM7L_CHECK
 
 PRETTY_NAMES: Final[dict[PlatformName, str]] = {
     "linux": "Linux",
@@ -32,11 +32,8 @@ def _check_aarch32_el0() -> bool:
         return False
     if platform_module.machine() != "aarch64":
         return False
-    executable = shutil.which("linux32")
-    if executable is None:
-        return False
-    check = subprocess.run([executable, "uname", "-m"], check=False, capture_output=True, text=True)
-    return check.returncode == 0 and check.stdout.startswith("armv")
+    check = subprocess.run([LINUX_ARM7L_CHECK], check=False, capture_output=True, text=True)
+    return check.returncode == 0 and check.stdout.strip() == "armv7l"
 
 
 @functools.total_ordering
diff --git a/cibuildwheel/resources/linux_armv7l_check b/cibuildwheel/resources/linux_armv7l_check
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..70f2a2fdf
Binary files /dev/null and b/cibuildwheel/resources/linux_armv7l_check differ
diff --git a/cibuildwheel/util/resources.py b/cibuildwheel/util/resources.py
index 781f92db9..5f8f25ad9 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/util/resources.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/util/resources.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 CONSTRAINTS: Final[Path] = PATH / "constraints.txt"
 VIRTUALENV: Final[Path] = PATH / "virtualenv.toml"
 CIBUILDWHEEL_SCHEMA: Final[Path] = PATH / "cibuildwheel.schema.json"
+LINUX_ARM7L_CHECK: Final[Path] = PATH / "linux_arm7l_check"
 
 
 def read_python_configs(config: PlatformName) -> list[dict[str, str]]:
diff --git a/unit_test/architecture_test.py b/unit_test/architecture_test.py
index c1b23a5fd..341555c68 100644
--- a/unit_test/architecture_test.py
+++ b/unit_test/architecture_test.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import platform as platform_module
-import shutil
+import subprocess
 import sys
 
 import pytest
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ def test_arch_auto32(platform_machine):
 def test_arch_auto_no_aarch32(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "platform", "linux")
     monkeypatch.setattr(platform_module, "machine", lambda: "aarch64")
-    monkeypatch.setattr(shutil, "which", lambda *args, **kwargs: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        subprocess, "run", lambda args, **kwargs: subprocess.CompletedProcess(args, 1)
+    )
 
     arch_set = Architecture.parse_config("auto", "linux")
     assert arch_set == {Architecture.aarch64}