diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 76dd57fc27..e8f0172b4b 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2915,7 +2915,8 @@ if test "$softmmu" = yes ; then
       tools="$tools fsdev/virtfs-proxy-helper\$(EXESUF)"
     else
       if test "$virtfs" = yes; then
-        feature_not_found "virtfs"
+        echo "VirtFS is supported only on Linux and requires libcap-devel and libattr-devel"
+        exit 1
       fi
       virtfs=no
     fi