diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 55010687bf..14fca2b3d5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -674,6 +674,8 @@ graph-build: $(O)/build/build-time.log
 				   $(if $(BR2_GRAPH_ALT),--alternate-colors)$(sep))
 
 graph-depends:
+	@dot -? >/dev/null 2>&1 || \
+		(echo "ERROR: The 'dot' program from Graphviz is needed for graph-depends" >&2; exit 1)
 	@$(INSTALL) -d $(O)/graphs
 	@cd "$(CONFIG_DIR)"; \
 	$(TOPDIR)/support/scripts/graph-depends $(BR2_GRAPH_DEPS_OPTS) \