diff --git a/conan/internal/internal_tools.py b/conan/internal/internal_tools.py
index 03a4cc0c01b..195b65a7647 100644
--- a/conan/internal/internal_tools.py
+++ b/conan/internal/internal_tools.py
@@ -16,3 +16,9 @@ def is_universal_arch(settings_value, valid_definitions):
     valid_macos_values = [val for val in valid_definitions if ("arm" in val or "x86" in val)]
 
     return all(part in valid_macos_values for part in parts)
+
+
+def raise_on_universal_arch(conanfile):
+    if is_universal_arch(conanfile.settings.get_safe("arch"),
+                         conanfile.settings.possible_values().get("arch")):
+        raise ConanException("Universal binaries not supported by toolchain.")
diff --git a/conan/tools/gnu/autotoolstoolchain.py b/conan/tools/gnu/autotoolstoolchain.py
index 71ec02001be..e106367c047 100644
--- a/conan/tools/gnu/autotoolstoolchain.py
+++ b/conan/tools/gnu/autotoolstoolchain.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from conan.internal import check_duplicated_generator
+from conan.internal.internal_tools import raise_on_universal_arch
 from conan.tools.apple.apple import apple_min_version_flag, is_apple_os, to_apple_arch, apple_sdk_path
 from conan.tools.apple.apple import get_apple_sdk_fullname
 from conan.tools.build import cmd_args_to_string, save_toolchain_args
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ def __init__(self, conanfile, namespace=None, prefix="/"):
                helper so that it reads the information from the proper file.
         :param prefix: Folder to use for ``--prefix`` argument ("/" by default).
         """
+        raise_on_universal_arch(conanfile)
+
         self._conanfile = conanfile
         self._namespace = namespace
         self._prefix = prefix
diff --git a/conan/tools/google/toolchain.py b/conan/tools/google/toolchain.py
index 17a7470ce51..b9684bec714 100644
--- a/conan/tools/google/toolchain.py
+++ b/conan/tools/google/toolchain.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 from jinja2 import Template
 
 from conan.internal import check_duplicated_generator
+from conan.internal.internal_tools import raise_on_universal_arch
 from conan.tools.apple import to_apple_arch, is_apple_os
 from conan.tools.build.cross_building import cross_building
 from conan.tools.build.flags import cppstd_flag
@@ -63,6 +64,8 @@ def __init__(self, conanfile):
         """
         :param conanfile: ``< ConanFile object >`` The current recipe object. Always use ``self``.
         """
+        raise_on_universal_arch(conanfile)
+
         self._conanfile = conanfile
 
         # Bazel build parameters
diff --git a/conan/tools/meson/toolchain.py b/conan/tools/meson/toolchain.py
index 86d5491d5d1..d1c2ac0c1be 100644
--- a/conan/tools/meson/toolchain.py
+++ b/conan/tools/meson/toolchain.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 from conan.errors import ConanException
 from conan.internal import check_duplicated_generator
+from conan.internal.internal_tools import raise_on_universal_arch
 from conan.tools.apple.apple import to_apple_arch, is_apple_os, apple_min_version_flag, \
     apple_sdk_path, get_apple_sdk_fullname
 from conan.tools.build.cross_building import cross_building
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ def __init__(self, conanfile, backend=None):
         :param conanfile: ``< ConanFile object >`` The current recipe object. Always use ``self``.
         :param backend: ``str`` ``backend`` Meson variable value. By default, ``ninja``.
         """
+        raise_on_universal_arch(conanfile)
         self._conanfile = conanfile
         self._os = self._conanfile.settings.get_safe("os")
         self._is_apple_system = is_apple_os(self._conanfile)
diff --git a/conans/test/integration/toolchains/test_raise_on_universal_binaries.py b/conans/test/integration/toolchains/test_raise_on_universal_binaries.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..552424a652a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conans/test/integration/toolchains/test_raise_on_universal_binaries.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from parameterized import parameterized
+
+from conans.test.assets.genconanfile import GenConanfile
+from conans.test.utils.tools import TestClient
+
+
+@parameterized.expand(["AutotoolsToolchain", "MesonToolchain", "BazelToolchain"])
+def test_create_universal_binary(toolchain):
+    client = TestClient()
+    conanfile = (GenConanfile().with_settings("os", "arch", "compiler", "build_type").with_generator(toolchain))
+    client.save({"conanfile.py": conanfile})
+
+    client.run('create . --name=foo --version=1.0 -s="arch=armv8|armv8.3|x86_64"',
+               assert_error=True)
+    assert f"Error in generator '{toolchain}': Universal binaries not supported by toolchain." in client.out
diff --git a/conans/test/utils/mocks.py b/conans/test/utils/mocks.py
index db0d9f39370..cb538224bb1 100644
--- a/conans/test/utils/mocks.py
+++ b/conans/test/utils/mocks.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from collections import defaultdict
 from io import StringIO
 
 from conan import ConanFile
@@ -62,6 +63,9 @@ def __getattr__(self, name):
     def rm_safe(self, name):
         self.values.pop(name, None)
 
+    def possible_values(self):
+        return defaultdict(lambda: [])
+
 
 class MockCppInfo(object):
     def __init__(self):