diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 9e4bfe03d8..9332aa10c0 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ linux="no"
 kqemu="no"
 kernel_path=""
 cocoa="no"
+check_gfx="yes"
 
 # OS specific
 targetos=`uname -s`
@@ -186,6 +187,8 @@ for opt do
   ;; 
   --enable-cocoa) cocoa="yes" ; sdl="no"
   ;; 
+  --disable-gfx-check) check_gfx="no"
+  ;;
   esac
 done
 
@@ -613,6 +616,14 @@ if expr $target : '.*-user' > /dev/null ; then
   target_user_only="yes"
 fi
 
+if test "$target_user_only" = "no" -a "$check_gfx" = "yes" \
+	-a "$sdl" = "no" -a "$cocoa" = "no" ; then
+    echo "ERROR: QEMU requires SDL or Cocoa for graphical output"
+    echo "To build QEMU with graphical output configure with --disable-gfx-check"
+    echo "Note that this will disable all output from the virtual graphics card."
+    exit 1;
+fi
+
 #echo "Creating $config_mak, $config_h and $target_dir/Makefile"
 
 mkdir -p $target_dir