diff --git a/Makefile-ostree.am b/Makefile-ostree.am
index 76f39cad4b..76e2029c25 100644
--- a/Makefile-ostree.am
+++ b/Makefile-ostree.am
@@ -143,12 +143,14 @@ ostree_SOURCES += src/ostree/ot-builtin-pull.c
 endif
 
 if USE_LIBSOUP
+if BUILDOPT_TRIVIAL_HTTPD
 # Eventually once we stop things from using this, we should support disabling this
 ostree_SOURCES += src/ostree/ot-builtin-trivial-httpd.c
 pkglibexec_PROGRAMS += ostree-trivial-httpd
 ostree_trivial_httpd_SOURCES = src/ostree/ostree-trivial-httpd.c
 ostree_trivial_httpd_CFLAGS = $(ostree_bin_shared_cflags) $(OT_INTERNAL_SOUP_CFLAGS)
 ostree_trivial_httpd_LDADD = $(ostree_bin_shared_ldadd) $(OT_INTERNAL_SOUP_LIBS)
+endif
 
 if !USE_CURL
 # This is necessary for the cookie jar bits
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 069bab0175..5aa90a9eff 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(trivial-httpd-cmdline,
   [Continue to support "ostree trivial-httpd" [default=no]])],,
   enable_trivial_httpd_cmdline=no)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILDOPT_TRIVIAL_HTTPD, test x$enable_trivial_httpd_cmdline = xyes)
+AS_IF([test x$with_soup = xno && test x$enable_trivial_httpd_cmdline = xyes], [
+  AC_MSG_WARN([trivial-httpd enabled, but libsoup is not; libsoup is needed for trivial-httpd])
+])
 AM_COND_IF(BUILDOPT_TRIVIAL_HTTPD,
   [AC_DEFINE([BUILDOPT_ENABLE_TRIVIAL_HTTPD_CMDLINE], 1, [Define if we are enabling ostree trivial-httpd entrypoint])]
 )