diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 12b99798b4f75b477b4b0b772f458257dbcf3a4c..4b5f172a3065ca71905e1df89fdfe6e0415f53b5 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ AX_FUNC_POSIX_MEMALIGN
 # Check for OpenMP
 AX_OPENMP
 AC_SUBST(OPENMP_CFLAGS)
+if test -z "${OPENMP_CFLAGS}"; then
+   echo $OPENMP_CFLAGS
+   AC_MSG_ERROR(Compiler does not support OpenMP, 1)
+fi
 
 # Check for HDF5
 AX_LIB_HDF5([serial])