diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f9f1c538..3ad1995e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -396,6 +396,8 @@ if test "x$have_lcms" = xyes; then
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_LCMS, [test "x$have_lcms" = xyes])
 
+m4_ifndef([WAYLAND_SCANNER_RULES],
+	  [m4_fatal([WAYLAND_SCANNER_RULES not found. Point ACLOCAL to wayland-scanner.m4 before running autoconf/autogen])])
 WAYLAND_SCANNER_RULES(['$(top_srcdir)/protocol'])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile