diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 8d06c9a4f..1807c474d 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1262,7 +1262,11 @@ endif( WITH_HSPELL )
 
 
 ####" default spell checker #####################
+
 set( DEFAULT_SPELL_CHECKER "ISPELL" CACHE STRING "default spell checker" )
+if( NOT WITH_${DEFAULT_SPELL_CHECKER} )
+  tde_message_fatal( "Spell checker selected as default (${DEFAULT_SPELL_CHECKER}) is not enabled to build." )
+endif()
 
 
 ##### enable TDEIconLoader debugging ############