diff --git a/examples/main.c b/examples/main.c
index c8a1780c5ba5432ff9e713853c578666d1cc3a6f..97efbd76bd08623be85449357b8c1762b72c52e0 100644
--- a/examples/main.c
+++ b/examples/main.c
@@ -190,7 +190,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "acCdDef:FgGhMn:P:sSt:Tv:y:Y:")) != -1)
     switch (c) {
       case 'a':
+#if defined(HAVE_SETAFFINITY) && defined(HAVE_LIBNUMA)
         with_aff = 1;
+#else
+        error("Need NUMA support for thread affinity");
+#endif
         break;
       case 'c':
         with_cosmology = 1;