diff --git a/main_src/gfs_hdf_mod.f90 b/main_src/gfs_hdf_mod.f90
index 25a181109e183b29307c5114eecb831a65aec7a0..2596ccafebb6af149384c10236794b2d3f10f829 100644
--- a/main_src/gfs_hdf_mod.f90
+++ b/main_src/gfs_hdf_mod.f90
@@ -571,6 +571,10 @@ module GFS_HDF_MOD
       ! --- close files
       call grib_close(grib_id_1)
       call grib_close(grib_id_2)
+#else
+      print *, 'ERROR: this executable was compiled without de-GRIB support,'
+      print *, '       and so cannot ingest GRIB-format files.'
+      stop 1
 #endif  /* end:DEGRIB */
 
     else