diff --git a/src/explicitgrid.hh b/src/explicitgrid.hh
index c1e8500e0b869f5717641a140b423c3430a3956d..ee691f0844ec60caa4463d77a1dc664a81269a9c 100644
--- a/src/explicitgrid.hh
+++ b/src/explicitgrid.hh
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #ifndef SRC_EXPLICITGRID_HH
 #define SRC_EXPLICITGRID_HH
 
+#if !HAVE_ALUGRID
+#error ALUGRID is required
+#endif
+
 #pragma clang diagnostic push
 #pragma clang diagnostic ignored "-Wignored-qualifiers"
 #include <dune/grid/alugrid.hh>