diff --git a/spindle/server.go b/spindle/server.go
index 408a7e4c..9a65b924 100644
--- a/spindle/server.go
+++ b/spindle/server.go
@@ -35,9 +35,6 @@ import (
 	"tangled.org/core/spindle/config"
 	"tangled.org/core/spindle/db"
 	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engine"
-	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engines/dummy"
-	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engines/microvm"
-	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engines/nixery"
 	"tangled.org/core/spindle/git"
 	"tangled.org/core/spindle/models"
 	"tangled.org/core/spindle/queue"
@@ -357,21 +354,12 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to setup db: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	nixeryEng, err := nixery.New(ctx, cfg)
+	engines, err := buildEngines(ctx, cfg, d)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	microvmEng, err := microvm.New(ctx, cfg, d)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	s, err := New(ctx, cfg, d, map[string]models.Engine{
-		"nixery":  nixeryEng,
-		"microvm": microvmEng,
-		"dummy":   dummy.New(log.FromContext(ctx)),
-	})
+	s, err := New(ctx, cfg, d, engines)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/spindle/server_engines_linux.go b/spindle/server_engines_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..79a808c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spindle/server_engines_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+//go:build linux
+
+package spindle
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"tangled.org/core/log"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/config"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/db"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engines/dummy"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engines/microvm"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engines/nixery"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/models"
+)
+
+func buildEngines(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, d *db.DB) (map[string]models.Engine, error) {
+	nixeryEng, err := nixery.New(ctx, cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	microvmEng, err := microvm.New(ctx, cfg, d)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return map[string]models.Engine{
+		"nixery":  nixeryEng,
+		"microvm": microvmEng,
+		"dummy":   dummy.New(log.FromContext(ctx)),
+	}, nil
+}
diff --git a/spindle/server_engines_other.go b/spindle/server_engines_other.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7a9320d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spindle/server_engines_other.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+//go:build !linux
+
+package spindle
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"tangled.org/core/log"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/config"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/db"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engines/dummy"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/engines/nixery"
+	"tangled.org/core/spindle/models"
+)
+
+// microvm requires cgroup v2, KVM, and network namespaces, which only exist
+// on Linux, so it's excluded here in favor of the engines that don't need them.
+func buildEngines(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, d *db.DB) (map[string]models.Engine, error) {
+	nixeryEng, err := nixery.New(ctx, cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return map[string]models.Engine{
+		"nixery": nixeryEng,
+		"dummy":  dummy.New(log.FromContext(ctx)),
+	}, nil
+}