diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c7c46cd620..038e27b348 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ DOCKER_BUILDX_CLI_PLUGIN_PATH ?= ~/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-buildx
 BUILDX ?= $(shell if [ -x "$(DOCKER_BUILDX_CLI_PLUGIN_PATH)" ]; then echo $(DOCKER_BUILDX_CLI_PLUGIN_PATH); fi)
 endif
 
+ifndef USE_BUILDX
+DOCKER_BUILDKIT := 1
+export DOCKER_BUILDKIT
+endif
+
 BUILDX ?= bundles/buildx
 DOCKER ?= docker