diff --git a/auxdir/x_ac_slurm_ssl.m4 b/auxdir/x_ac_slurm_ssl.m4
index 1454d63464cb8b60fc77905173630a8fdad67e06..e83d0d671b10020f69bd2dbce93c9ce5f60353e2 100644
--- a/auxdir/x_ac_slurm_ssl.m4
+++ b/auxdir/x_ac_slurm_ssl.m4
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ AC_DEFUN([X_AC_SLURM_WITH_SSL], [
   if test "x$prefix" != "xNONE" ; then
   	tryssldir="$tryssldir $prefix"
   fi
+  if test "x$tryssldir" == "xno" ; then
+     AC_MSG_ERROR([OpenSSL libary is required for SLURM operation, please install])
+  fi
   
   AC_CACHE_CHECK([for OpenSSL directory], ac_cv_openssldir, [
   	for ssldir in $tryssldir "" $ssl_default_dirs; do