diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 8319a1626..e2a549469 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -97,6 +97,36 @@ include:
 #    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_EXEC: >-
 #      pip3 install meson
 
+# This is a pruned down container with enough dependencies for a basic i686
+# build to make sure we've not broken anything. This can be extended if we want
+# to cover more of the code.
+.fedora_x86:
+  variables:
+    # Update this tag when you want to trigger a rebuild
+    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_TAG: '2025-05-29.1'
+    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_VERSION: '42'
+    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_PACKAGES: >-
+      git
+      gcc
+      gcc-c++
+      meson
+      glibc-devel.i686
+      systemd-devel.i686
+      dbus-devel.i686
+      alsa-lib-devel.i686
+      bluez-libs-devel.i686
+      libffi-devel.i686
+      pcre2-devel.i686
+      sysprof-devel.i686
+      zlib-ng-compat-devel.i686
+      libblkid-devel.i686
+      libmount-devel.i686
+      libselinux-devel.i686
+      glib2-devel.i686
+      alsa-lib-devel
+      avahi-devel
+      bluez-libs-devel
+
 .ubuntu:
   variables:
     # Update this tag when you want to trigger a rebuild
@@ -208,8 +238,14 @@ include:
     - echo "Building with meson options $MESON_OPTIONS"
     - meson setup "$BUILD_DIR" --prefix="$PREFIX" $MESON_OPTIONS
     - meson compile -C "$BUILD_DIR" $COMPILE_ARGS
-    - meson test -C "$BUILD_DIR" --no-rebuild
-    - meson install -C "$BUILD_DIR" --no-rebuild
+    - |
+      if [ -z "$MESON_SKIP_TEST" ]; then
+        meson test -C "$BUILD_DIR" --no-rebuild
+      fi
+    - |
+      if [ -z "$MESON_SKIP_INSTALL" ]; then
+        meson install -C "$BUILD_DIR" --no-rebuild
+      fi
   artifacts:
     name: pipewire-$CI_COMMIT_SHA
     when: always
@@ -232,6 +268,14 @@ container_fedora:
   variables:
     GIT_STRATEGY: none # no need to pull the whole tree for rebuilding the image
 
+container_fedora_x86:
+  extends:
+    - .fedora_x86
+    - .fdo.container-build@fedora
+  stage: container
+  variables:
+    GIT_STRATEGY: none # no need to pull the whole tree for rebuilding the image
+
 container_alpine:
   extends:
     - .alpine
@@ -357,6 +401,21 @@ build_on_fedora_html_docs:
   rules:
     - !reference [pages, rules]
 
+build_on_fedora_x86:
+  extends:
+    - .fedora_x86
+    - .not_coverity
+    - .fdo.distribution-image@fedora
+    - .build
+  stage: build
+  needs:
+    - job: container_fedora_x86
+      artifacts: false
+  variables:
+    MESON_OPTIONS: "--cross-file=cross-x86.txt"
+    MESON_SKIP_TEST: "true"
+    MESON_SKIP_INSTALL: "true"
+
 build_on_alpine:
   extends:
     - .alpine
diff --git a/cross-x86.txt b/cross-x86.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ddd5ecc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cross-x86.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+[binaries]
+c = 'gcc'
+cpp = 'g++'
+ld = 'ld'
+cmake = 'cmake'
+strip = 'strip'
+pkg-config = 'pkg-config'
+
+[properties]
+pkg_config_libdir = '/usr/lib/pkgconfig'
+ld_args = '-m elf_i386'
+
+[built-in options]
+c_args = '-m32 -msse'
+c_link_args = '-m32 -msse'
+cpp_args = '-m32 -msse'
+cpp_link_args = '-m32 -msse'
+
+[host_machine]
+system = 'linux'
+cpu_family = 'x86'
+cpu = 'i686'
+endian = 'little'