diff --git a/src/common/autoconfig.h.in b/src/common/autoconfig.h.in
index 374d11c1..aaea24fd 100644
--- a/src/common/autoconfig.h.in
+++ b/src/common/autoconfig.h.in
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `kqueue' function. */
 #undef HAVE_KQUEUE
 
+/* Define to 1 if you have the `chm' library (-lchm). */
+#undef HAVE_LIBCHM
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `dl' library (-ldl). */
 #undef HAVE_LIBDL
 
diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index bee7ac84..c52e7f8f 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -257,6 +257,11 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(python-chm, AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-python-chm],
     [Do not build the libchm Python wrapper.]),
     pythonChmEnabled=$enableval, pythonChmEnabled=yes)
 
+if test X$pythonChmEnabled = Xyes; then
+   AC_CHECK_LIB([chm], [chm_resolve_object], [],
+   [AC_MSG_ERROR([--enable-python-chm is set but libchm is not found])])
+fi
+
 AM_CONDITIONAL(MAKEPYTHONCHM, [test X$pythonChmEnabled = Xyes])