diff --git a/bin/sbuild-createchroot b/bin/sbuild-createchroot
index 2371999..58f01ac 100755
--- a/bin/sbuild-createchroot
+++ b/bin/sbuild-createchroot
@@ -307,10 +307,22 @@ root-groups=root,sbuild
 profile=sbuild
 EOF
 } else {
+
+    # Determine whether system has overlayfs capability
+    my $uniontype = "union-type=none";
+    if (lc("$^O") =~ /linux/) {
+        system("/sbin/modprobe overlay");
+        open(FILE, "/proc/filesystems");
+        if (grep {/overlay/} <FILE>) {
+            $uniontype = "union-type=overlay";
+        }
+        close(FILE);
+    }
+
     $config_entry = <<"EOF";
 [$chrootname]
 type=directory
-union-type=overlay
+$uniontype
 description=Debian $suite/$arch autobuilder
 directory=$target
 groups=root,sbuild