diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 12bffa9..b170add 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -122,8 +122,26 @@
 if test "x$enable_nftables" = "xyes"; then
 	PKG_CHECK_MODULES([libmnl], [libmnl >= 1.0], [mnl=1], [mnl=0])
 
+	if test "$mnl" = 0;
+	then
+		echo "*** Error: No suitable libmnl found. ***"
+		echo "    Please install the 'libmnl' package"
+		echo "    Or consider --disable-nftables to skip"
+		echo "    iptables-compat over nftables support."
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
 	PKG_CHECK_MODULES([libnftnl], [libnftnl >= 1.0.5], [nftables=1], [nftables=0])
 
+	if test "$nftables" = 0;
+	then
+		echo "*** Error: no suitable libnftnl found. ***"
+		echo "    Please install the 'libnftnl' package"
+		echo "    Or consider --disable-nftables to skip"
+		echo "    iptables-compat over nftables support."
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
 	AM_PROG_LEX
 	AC_PROG_YACC