diff --git a/.github/actions/docker-init/action.yml b/.github/actions/docker-init/action.yml
index fda18fa1..80f18bff 100644
--- a/.github/actions/docker-init/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/docker-init/action.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ runs:
   using: composite
   steps:
     - name: Set up QEMU
-      uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
+      run: |
+        # temporarily use Debian qemu-user-static until Ubuntu fixes theirs
+        wget -q http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/q/qemu/qemu-user-static_7.2+dfsg-7+deb12u12_amd64.deb
+        echo "1a2696081c1f30d464f79fd300196822397c77f05440ea9ce6dc8e9658b595ec qemu-user-static_7.2+dfsg-7+deb12u12_amd64.deb" | sha256sum -c
+        sudo dpkg -i qemu-user-static_7.2+dfsg-7+deb12u12_amd64.deb
 
     - name: Set up Docker Buildx
       uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3