diff --git a/waku/Makefile b/waku/Makefile
index b0f68a9..71bcae5 100644
--- a/waku/Makefile
+++ b/waku/Makefile
@@ -1,30 +1,53 @@
 # Makefile for Waku Go Bindings
 
-# Directories
-THIRD_PARTY_DIR := $(shell pwd)/../third_party
-NWAKU_REPO := https://github.com/waku-org/nwaku
-NWAKU_DIR := $(THIRD_PARTY_DIR)/nwaku
+# The LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH and LIBWAKU_HEADER_PATH env vars should be defined beforehand
+# Therefore, we assume the libwaku library and headers are located in the specified paths
+export CGO_CFLAGS="-I${LIBWAKU_HEADER_PATH}/"
+export CGO_LDFLAGS="-L${LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH}/ -lsds -Wl,-rpath,${LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH}/"
 
-.PHONY: all clean build-libwaku build
+# Expected files
+HEADER_FILE := $(LIBWAKU_HEADER_PATH)/libwaku.h
+LIB_FILES   := $(wildcard $(LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH)/libwaku.*)
+
+.PHONY: all clean prepare build
 
 # Default target
 all: build
 
-# Build libwaku
-build-libwaku:
-	@echo "Building libwaku..."
-	@cd $(NWAKU_DIR) && make libwaku
+# Validate necessary folders and files
+check-folders:
+	@echo Checking libwaku header directory ...
+	@if [ -z "$(LIBWAKU_HEADER_PATH)" ]; then \
+		echo "ERROR: LIBWAKU_HEADER_PATH not set"; exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@if [ ! -d "$(LIBWAKU_HEADER_PATH)" ]; then \
+		echo "ERROR: Header path does not exist: $(LIBWAKU_HEADER_PATH)"; exit 1; \
+	fi
 
-# Build Waku Go Bindings
+	@echo Checking libwaku lib directory ...
+	@if [ -z "$(LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH)" ]; then \
+		echo "ERROR: LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH not set"; exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@if [ ! -d "$(LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH)" ]; then \
+		echo "ERROR: Library path does not exist: $(LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH)"; exit 1; \
+	fi
 
-build: export CGO_CFLAGS = "-I${NWAKU_DIR}/library/"
-build: export CGO_LDFLAGS = "-L${NWAKU_DIR}/build/ -lwaku -L${NWAKU_DIR} -Wl,-rpath,${NWAKU_DIR}/build/"
-build:
+	@echo Checking for libwaku.h ...
+	@if [ ! -f "$(HEADER_FILE)" ]; then \
+		echo "ERROR: libwaku.h not found at: $(HEADER_FILE)"; exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+	@echo Checking for libwaku library file ...
+	@if [ -z "$(LIB_FILES)" ]; then \
+		echo "ERROR: No libwaku library file found in: $(LIBWAKU_LIB_PATH)"; exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+# Build SDS Go Bindings
+build: check-folders
 	@echo "Building Waku Go Bindings..."
 	go build ./...
 
 # Clean up generated files
 clean:
 	@echo "Cleaning up..."
-	@rm -rf $(THIRD_PARTY_DIR)
-	@rm -f waku-go-bindings
\ No newline at end of file
+	@rm -f waku-go-bindings