diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ab13a0a3e..65729b6bf 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -660,13 +660,15 @@ case "$enable_gost" in
 	;;
 esac
 
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(ecdsa, AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-ecdsa], [Enable ECDSA support, experimental]))
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(ecdsa, AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-ecdsa], [Enable ECDSA support]))
 use_ecdsa="no"
 case "$enable_ecdsa" in
-    yes)
-      AC_CHECK_FUNC(ECDSA_sign, [], [AC_MSG_ERROR([OpenSSL does not support ECDSA])])
-      AC_CHECK_FUNC(SHA384_Init, [], [AC_MSG_ERROR([OpenSSL does not support SHA384])])
-      AC_CHECK_DECLS([NID_X9_62_prime256v1, NID_secp384r1], [], [AC_MSG_ERROR([OpenSSL does not support the ECDSA curves])], [AC_INCLUDES_DEFAULT
+    no)
+      ;;
+    *)
+      AC_CHECK_FUNC(ECDSA_sign, [], [AC_MSG_ERROR([OpenSSL does not support ECDSA: please upgrade or rerun with --disable-ecdsa])])
+      AC_CHECK_FUNC(SHA384_Init, [], [AC_MSG_ERROR([OpenSSL does not support SHA384: please upgrade or rerun with --disable-ecdsa])])
+      AC_CHECK_DECLS([NID_X9_62_prime256v1, NID_secp384r1], [], [AC_MSG_ERROR([OpenSSL does not support the ECDSA curves: please upgrade or rerun with --disable-ecdsa])], [AC_INCLUDES_DEFAULT
 #include <openssl/evp.h>
       ])
       # see if OPENSSL 1.0.0 or later (has EVP MD and Verify independency)
@@ -681,10 +683,6 @@ case "$enable_ecdsa" in
       AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([USE_ECDSA], [1], [Define this to enable ECDSA support.])
       use_ecdsa="yes"
       ;;
-    no)
-      ;;
-    *)
-      ;;
 esac
 
 # check for libevent