diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f9fc9cf..830d0da 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -507,6 +507,8 @@ fi
 
 if test "x$have_ffaudio" = "xyes"; then
     INPUT_PLUGINS="$INPUT_PLUGINS ffaudio"
+elif test "x$enable_ffaudio" = "xyes"; then
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find FFmpeg development files (libavcodec ver >= 53.40.0, libavformat ver >= 53.5.0, libavutil ver >= 50.42.0), but compilation of ffaudio plugin has been explicitly requested; please install FFmpeg dev files and run configure again])
 fi
 
 dnl *** jack output plugin