diff --git a/m4/systemd.m4 b/m4/systemd.m4
index 8284993223..e4b1aa5800 100644
--- a/m4/systemd.m4
+++ b/m4/systemd.m4
@@ -85,7 +85,11 @@ AC_DEFUN([AX_CHECK_SYSTEMD], [
 		AC_DEFINE([HAVE_SYSTEMD], [1], [Systemd available and enabled])
 			systemd=y
 			AX_CHECK_SYSTEMD_LIBS()
-	    ],[systemd=n])
+	    ],[
+		AS_IF([test "x$enable_systemd" = "xyes"],
+			[AC_MSG_ERROR([Unable to find systemd development library])],
+			[systemd=n])
+	    ])
 	],[systemd=n])
 ])
 
diff --git a/tools/configure b/tools/configure
index 99677d1634..41bed7712a 100755
--- a/tools/configure
+++ b/tools/configure
@@ -9317,10 +9317,16 @@ fi
 fi
 
 
+else
+
+		if test "x$enable_systemd" = "xyes"; then :
+  as_fn_error $? "Unable to find systemd development library" "$LINENO" 5
 else
   systemd=n
 fi
 
+fi
+
 else
   systemd=n
 fi