diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 169c8072aa..9f8fd6e377 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3524,7 +3524,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
             case QEMU_OPTION_full_screen:
                 full_screen = 1;
                 break;
-#ifdef CONFIG_SDL
             case QEMU_OPTION_no_frame:
                 no_frame = 1;
                 break;
@@ -3537,14 +3536,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
             case QEMU_OPTION_no_quit:
                 no_quit = 1;
                 break;
+#ifdef CONFIG_SDL
             case QEMU_OPTION_sdl:
                 display_type = DT_SDL;
                 break;
 #else
-            case QEMU_OPTION_no_frame:
-            case QEMU_OPTION_alt_grab:
-            case QEMU_OPTION_ctrl_grab:
-            case QEMU_OPTION_no_quit:
             case QEMU_OPTION_sdl:
                 fprintf(stderr, "SDL support is disabled\n");
                 exit(1);
@@ -4085,6 +4081,15 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 #endif
     }
 
+    if ((no_frame || alt_grab || ctrl_grab) && display_type != DT_SDL) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "-no-frame, -alt-grab and -ctrl-grab are only valid "
+                        "for SDL, ignoring option\n");
+    }
+    if (no_quit && (display_type != DT_GTK && display_type != DT_SDL)) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "-no-quit is only valid for GTK and SDL, "
+                        "ignoring option\n");
+    }
+
 #if defined(CONFIG_GTK)
     if (display_type == DT_GTK) {
         early_gtk_display_init();