diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index 1193d946da..ef60730e47 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -634,11 +634,9 @@ the console. Therefore, you can still use QEMU to debug a Linux kernel
 with a serial console.
 ETEXI
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_CURSES
 DEF("curses", 0, QEMU_OPTION_curses,
     "-curses         use a curses/ncurses interface instead of SDL\n",
     QEMU_ARCH_ALL)
-#endif
 STEXI
 @item -curses
 @findex curses
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 4ca41928e7..11ad8fbf77 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2247,11 +2247,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
             case QEMU_OPTION_nographic:
                 display_type = DT_NOGRAPHIC;
                 break;
-#ifdef CONFIG_CURSES
             case QEMU_OPTION_curses:
+#ifdef CONFIG_CURSES
                 display_type = DT_CURSES;
-                break;
+#else
+                fprintf(stderr, "Curses support is disabled\n");
+                exit(1);
 #endif
+                break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_portrait:
                 graphic_rotate = 1;
                 break;