diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2418e4b0..7945934c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -210,6 +210,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([match-finders], AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-match-finders=LIST],
 	[enable_match_finders=SUPPORTED_MATCH_FINDERS])
 enable_match_finders=`echo "$enable_match_finders" | sed 's/,/ /g'`
 if test "x$enable_encoder_lz" = xyes ; then
+	if test -z "$enable_match_finders"; then
+		AC_MSG_ERROR([At least one match finder is required for an LZ-based encoder.])
+	fi
+
 	for arg in $enable_match_finders
 		do
 		case $arg in m4_foreach([NAME], [SUPPORTED_MATCH_FINDERS], [