diff --git a/opm/autodiff/MSWellHelpers.hpp b/opm/autodiff/MSWellHelpers.hpp
index 5ebe93b58..e613f5ba0 100644
--- a/opm/autodiff/MSWellHelpers.hpp
+++ b/opm/autodiff/MSWellHelpers.hpp
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ namespace Opm {
 
 namespace mswellhelpers
 {
-#if HAVE_UMFPACK
     // obtain y = D^-1 * x with a direct solver
     template <typename MatrixType, typename VectorType>
     VectorType
     invDXDirect(const MatrixType& D, VectorType x)
     {
+#if HAVE_UMFPACK
         VectorType y(x.size());
         y = 0.;
 
@@ -61,8 +61,11 @@ namespace mswellhelpers
         }
 
         return y;
-    }
+#else
+        OPM_THROW(std::runtime_error, "Cannot use invDXDirect() without UMFPACK. "
+                  "Reconfigure opm-simulator with SuiteSparse/UMFPACK support and recompile.");
 #endif // HAVE_UMFPACK
+    }
 
 
 
diff --git a/opm/autodiff/MultisegmentWell_impl.hpp b/opm/autodiff/MultisegmentWell_impl.hpp
index d4bf5d534..a360466bf 100644
--- a/opm/autodiff/MultisegmentWell_impl.hpp
+++ b/opm/autodiff/MultisegmentWell_impl.hpp
@@ -494,11 +494,7 @@ namespace Opm
         duneB_.mv(x, Bx);
 
         // invDBx = duneD^-1 * Bx_
-#if HAVE_UMFPACK
         const BVectorWell invDBx = mswellhelpers::invDXDirect(duneD_, Bx);
-#else
-        const BVectorWell invDBx = mswellhelpers::invDX(duneD_, Bx);
-#endif
 
         // Ax = Ax - duneC_^T * invDBx
         duneC_.mmtv(invDBx,Ax);
@@ -514,11 +510,7 @@ namespace Opm
     apply(BVector& r) const
     {
         // invDrw_ = duneD^-1 * resWell_
-#if HAVE_UMFPACK
         const BVectorWell invDrw = mswellhelpers::invDXDirect(duneD_, resWell_);
-#else
-        const BVectorWell invDrw = mswellhelpers::invDX(duneD_, resWell_);
-#endif // HAVE_UMFPACK
         // r = r - duneC_^T * invDrw
         duneC_.mmtv(invDrw, r);
     }