diff --git a/opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.cpp b/opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.cpp
index 57823aad2..89521aff5 100644
--- a/opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.cpp
+++ b/opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 */
 
 #include "config.h"
+
+#if HAVE_PETSC
+
 #include <cstring>
 #include <opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.hpp>
 #include <unordered_map>
@@ -287,3 +290,4 @@ namespace{
 
 } // namespace Opm
 
+#endif // HAVE_PETSC
diff --git a/opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.hpp b/opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.hpp
index c5ba9a504..e8b9931c5 100644
--- a/opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.hpp
+++ b/opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverPetsc.hpp
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@
 
 #ifndef OPM_LINEARSOLVERPETSC_HEADER_INCLUDED
 #define OPM_LINEARSOLVERPETSC_HEADER_INCLUDED
+
+#if !HAVE_PETSC
+#error "LinearSolverPetsc.hpp included, but the PETSc libraries are not available!"
+#endif
+
 #include <opm/core/linalg/LinearSolverInterface.hpp>
 #include <opm/core/utility/parameters/ParameterGroup.hpp>
 #include <string>