diff --git a/configure b/configure
index cc833208e..cb93da9d5 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -20988,6 +20988,11 @@ else
 
 fi
 
+    if test x_$withval = x_no; then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: Need SSL library to do digital signature cryptography" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: Need SSL library to do digital signature cryptography" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+    fi
     if test x_$withval != x_no; then
         { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for SSL" >&5
 echo $ECHO_N "checking for SSL... $ECHO_C" >&6; }
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index eff201181..71e72d664 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -513,6 +513,9 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(ssl, AC_HELP_STRING([--with-ssl=pathname],
         ],[
             withval="yes"
         ])
+    if test x_$withval = x_no; then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([Need SSL library to do digital signature cryptography])
+    fi
     if test x_$withval != x_no; then
         AC_MSG_CHECKING(for SSL)
         if test x_$withval = x_ -o x_$withval = x_yes; then
diff --git a/doc/Changelog b/doc/Changelog
index 0d37ce0ed..1ad6e708b 100644
--- a/doc/Changelog
+++ b/doc/Changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+25 November 2008: Wouter
+	- configure complains when --without-ssl is given (bug #220).
+
 24 November 2008: Wouter
 	- document that the user of the server daemon needs read privileges
 	  on the keys and certificates generated by unbound-control-setup.