diff --git a/package/pkg-generic.mk b/package/pkg-generic.mk
index 1e024d3484..2daf33780a 100644
--- a/package/pkg-generic.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-generic.mk
@@ -182,6 +182,17 @@ $(foreach dir,$(call qstrip,$(BR2_GLOBAL_PATCH_DIR)),\
 
 # Configure
 $(BUILD_DIR)/%/.stamp_configured:
+# Only trigger the check for default builds. If the user forces
+# building a package, even if not enabled in the configuration, we
+# want to accept it.
+ifeq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),)
+	@if test "$($(PKG)_TYPE)" = "target" -a -z "$($($(PKG)_KCONFIG_VAR))" ; then \
+		echo "ERROR: $($(PKG)_NAME) is in the dependency chain of a package that has" ; \
+		echo "added it to its _DEPENDENCIES variable (directly or indirectly)" ; \
+		echo "without selecting it from Config.in." ; \
+		exit 1 ; \
+	fi
+endif
 	@$(call step_start,configure)
 	@$(call MESSAGE,"Configuring")
 	$(foreach hook,$($(PKG)_PRE_CONFIGURE_HOOKS),$(call $(hook))$(sep))