diff --git a/fesvr/elf.h b/fesvr/elf.h
index b4b0add6..c791685a 100644
--- a/fesvr/elf.h
+++ b/fesvr/elf.h
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 
+#define ET_EXEC 2
+#define EM_RISCV 243
+#define EV_CURRENT 1
+
 #define IS_ELF(hdr) \
   ((hdr).e_ident[0] == 0x7f && (hdr).e_ident[1] == 'E' && \
    (hdr).e_ident[2] == 'L'  && (hdr).e_ident[3] == 'F')
@@ -13,6 +17,9 @@
 #define IS_ELF64(hdr) (IS_ELF(hdr) && (hdr).e_ident[4] == 2)
 #define IS_ELFLE(hdr) (IS_ELF(hdr) && (hdr).e_ident[5] == 1)
 #define IS_ELFBE(hdr) (IS_ELF(hdr) && (hdr).e_ident[5] == 2)
+#define IS_ELF_EXEC(hdr) (IS_ELF(hdr) && (hdr).e_type == ET_EXEC)
+#define IS_ELF_RISCV(hdr) (IS_ELF(hdr) && (hdr).e_machine == EM_RISCV)
+#define IS_ELF_VCURRENT(hdr) (IS_ELF(hdr) && (hdr).e_version == EV_CURRENT)
 
 #define PT_LOAD 1
 
diff --git a/fesvr/elfloader.cc b/fesvr/elfloader.cc
index 610e5204..fe0fbf0f 100644
--- a/fesvr/elfloader.cc
+++ b/fesvr/elfloader.cc
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ std::map<std::string, uint64_t> load_elf(const char* fn, memif_t* memif, reg_t*
   const Elf64_Ehdr* eh64 = (const Elf64_Ehdr*)buf;
   assert(IS_ELF32(*eh64) || IS_ELF64(*eh64));
   assert(IS_ELFLE(*eh64));
+  assert(IS_ELF_EXEC(*eh64));
+  assert(IS_ELF_RISCV(*eh64));
+  assert(IS_ELF_VCURRENT(*eh64));
 
   std::vector<uint8_t> zeros;
   std::map<std::string, uint64_t> symbols;