--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -334,6 +334,10 @@
   fi
 fi
 
+# ensure GUDEV_CFLAGS and GUDEV_LIBS get set
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_udisks" = "xyes" -a "x$enable_gudev" = "xno"],
+  [AC_MSG_ERROR([--enable-udisks without --enable-gudev is not supported])])
+
 dnl **************************************************
 dnl *** Check if we should build with CDDA backend ***
 dnl **************************************************
