diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c7f8c76117..634f9df570 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ GOOSES = darwin linux
 NOTARY_BUILDTAGS ?= pkcs11
 NOTARYDIR := /go/src/github.com/docker/notary
 
-GO_VERSION := $(shell go version | grep "1\.[6-9]\(\.[0-9]+\)*")
-# check to make sure we have the right version
+GO_VERSION := $(shell go version | grep "1\.[6-9]\(\.[0-9]+\)*\|devel")
+# check to make sure we have the right version. development versions of Go are
+# not officially supported, but allowed for building
 
 ifeq ($(strip $(GO_VERSION))$(SKIPENVCHECK),)
 $(error Bad Go version - please install Go >= 1.6)