diff --git a/src/build/mod.rs b/src/build/mod.rs
index 1df39c4..0938389 100644
--- a/src/build/mod.rs
+++ b/src/build/mod.rs
@@ -354,6 +354,10 @@ pub fn run_source_build(
                 .get("DEB_HOST_ARCH")
                 .cloned()
                 .unwrap_or_else(|| crate::debian::arch::native().unwrap_or_default()),
+            build_arch: arch_vars
+                .get("DEB_BUILD_ARCH")
+                .cloned()
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| crate::debian::arch::native().unwrap_or_default()),
             build_profiles: profiles.clone(),
             ..Default::default()
         };
@@ -1599,8 +1603,10 @@ mod differential_tests {
             }
             i += 1;
         }
+        let host_arch = crate::debian::arch::native().unwrap_or_else(|_| "amd64".into());
         let opts = crate::debian::deps::CheckOpts {
-            host_arch: crate::debian::arch::native().unwrap_or_else(|_| "amd64".into()),
+            host_arch: host_arch.clone(),
+            build_arch: host_arch,
             build_profiles: profiles,
             ignore_arch,
             ignore_indep,
diff --git a/src/debian/deps.rs b/src/debian/deps.rs
index 7dd90e1..59d8918 100644
--- a/src/debian/deps.rs
+++ b/src/debian/deps.rs
@@ -785,8 +785,15 @@ impl Facts {
 /// Options for [`check_build_depends`].
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct CheckOpts {
-    /// Host architecture (defaults to the native architecture).
+    /// Host architecture, i.e. `DEB_HOST_ARCH`: the architecture the
+    /// packages are built FOR (defaults to the native architecture).
+    /// Bracketed `foo [arch]` restrictions evaluate against it.
     pub host_arch: String,
+    /// Build architecture, i.e. `DEB_BUILD_ARCH`: the architecture the
+    /// build runs ON (defaults to the native architecture). `:native`
+    /// dependency qualifiers and the dpkg status attribution of the
+    /// build-side facts resolve against it.
+    pub build_arch: String,
     /// Active build profiles.
     pub build_profiles: Vec<String>,
     /// Ignore `Build-Depends-Arch`/`Build-Conflicts-Arch` (`-A`).
@@ -804,6 +811,7 @@ impl Default for CheckOpts {
     fn default() -> Self {
         CheckOpts {
             host_arch: arch::native().unwrap_or_default(),
+            build_arch: arch::native().unwrap_or_default(),
             build_profiles: Vec::new(),
             ignore_arch: false,
             ignore_indep: false,
@@ -904,14 +912,14 @@ pub fn check_build_depends(control: &ControlInfo, opts: &CheckOpts) -> Result<Un
     let bc_value = bc_parts.join(", ");
 
     let status_path = opts.admindir.join("status");
-    let facts = Facts::load_status(&status_path, &opts.host_arch, &opts.host_arch)?;
+    let facts = Facts::load_status(&status_path, &opts.host_arch, &opts.build_arch)?;
 
     let mut report = UnmetReport::default();
 
     if !bd_value.trim().is_empty() {
         let parse_opts = ParseOpts {
             host_arch: opts.host_arch.clone(),
-            build_arch: opts.host_arch.clone(),
+            build_arch: opts.build_arch.clone(),
             build_profiles: opts.build_profiles.clone(),
             reduce_restrictions: true,
             union: false,
@@ -933,7 +941,7 @@ pub fn check_build_depends(control: &ControlInfo, opts: &CheckOpts) -> Result<Un
     if !bc_value.trim().is_empty() {
         let parse_opts = ParseOpts {
             host_arch: opts.host_arch.clone(),
-            build_arch: opts.host_arch.clone(),
+            build_arch: opts.build_arch.clone(),
             build_profiles: opts.build_profiles.clone(),
             reduce_restrictions: true,
             union: true,
@@ -1363,4 +1371,69 @@ Architecture: amd64
         let report = check_build_depends(&control_conflict, &opts).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(report.message(), "unmet build conflicts: mypackage");
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn check_build_depends_cross_native_qualifier() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let admindir = dir.path();
+
+        // Cross build: armhf packages built ON an amd64 machine, so
+        // DEB_HOST_ARCH=armhf but DEB_BUILD_ARCH=amd64.
+        let opts = CheckOpts {
+            host_arch: "armhf".to_string(),
+            build_arch: "amd64".to_string(),
+            admindir: admindir.to_path_buf(),
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+        let control_for = |bd: &str| {
+            ControlInfo::parse_content(&format!(
+                "Source: t\nMaintainer: a <a@b.c>\nBuild-Depends: {bd}\n\nPackage: t\nArchitecture: any\nDescription: x\n y\n"
+            ))
+            .unwrap()
+        };
+
+        // foo is only installed for the build architecture, like a native
+        // toolchain package pulled in on the build machine.
+        std::fs::write(
+            admindir.join("status"),
+            "\
+Package: foo
+Status: install ok installed
+Version: 1.0
+Architecture: amd64
+",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+
+        // `:native` resolves against the BUILD architecture: satisfied even
+        // though the host architecture is armhf.
+        let report = check_build_depends(&control_for("foo:native"), &opts).unwrap();
+        assert!(report.is_ok());
+
+        // Bracketed architecture restrictions keep evaluating against the
+        // HOST architecture: the amd64 instance cannot satisfy `foo [armhf]`.
+        // (The applied restriction reduces away, per dpkg's reduce_arch.)
+        let report = check_build_depends(&control_for("foo [armhf]"), &opts).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(report.message(), "unmet build dependencies: foo");
+
+        // Now foo is only installed for the host architecture.
+        std::fs::write(
+            admindir.join("status"),
+            "\
+Package: foo
+Status: install ok installed
+Version: 1.0
+Architecture: armhf
+",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+
+        // `:native` no longer matches: no amd64 instance is installed.
+        let report = check_build_depends(&control_for("foo:native"), &opts).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(report.message(), "unmet build dependencies: foo:native");
+
+        // The host-arch restriction matches the armhf instance.
+        let report = check_build_depends(&control_for("foo [armhf]"), &opts).unwrap();
+        assert!(report.is_ok());
+    }
 }