diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 311778a441..48415e5638 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -578,7 +578,8 @@ AS_IF([test "$enable_doh" = "yes"],
 	       [no],[AC_MSG_ERROR([Use '--disable-doh' to disable DNS-over-HTTPS support])],
 	       [auto|yes],[PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBNGHTTP2], [libnghttp2 >= 1.6.0],
 					     [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBNGHTTP2], [1], [Build with DNS-over-HTTPS support])],
-					     [AC_MSG_ERROR([DNS-over-HTTPS support requested, but libnghttp2 not found])])],
+					     [AC_MSG_ERROR(m4_normalize([DNS-over-HTTPS support requested, but libnghttp2 not found.
+									 Either install libnghttp2 or use --disable-doh.]))])],
 	       [AC_MSG_ERROR([Specifying libnghttp2 installation path is not supported, adjust PKG_CONFIG_PATH instead])])])
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_LIBNGHTTP2], [test -n "$LIBNGHTTP2_LIBS"])