diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c052062fa9..131e9be37f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -42,6 +42,6 @@ node-watch:
 	@ENV=$(ENV) DOCKER_USER=$(DOCKER_USER) $(DOCKER_COMPOSE) run --rm -i nodejs "npm run watch"
 
 docker-compose-check:
-	@which $(DOCKER_COMPOSE) > /dev/null || (echo "Please install docker compose binary" && exit 1)
+	@$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) version >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "Please install docker compose binary or set DOCKER_COMPOSE=\"docker-compose\" for legacy binary" && exit 1)
 	@echo "You are using \"$(DOCKER_COMPOSE)\" binary"
 	@echo "Current version is \"$$($(DOCKER_COMPOSE) version)\""