diff --git a/lang/ghc/Makefile b/lang/ghc/Makefile
index 36ef1a510ad9..9fc89654953f 100644
--- a/lang/ghc/Makefile
+++ b/lang/ghc/Makefile
@@ -254,6 +254,11 @@ pre-configure: apply-slist
 .if empty(PORT_OPTIONS:MBOOT)
 	cd ${BOOT_DIR} && ${CONFIGURE_ENV} ${CONFIGURE_CMD} --prefix=${BOOT_DIR}
 	cd ${BOOT_DIR} && PACKAGES='' ${MAKE_CMD} install
+.else
+# otherwise, make sure we have "ghc" in PATH
+	if ! ${WHICH} -s ghc ; then \
+		echo "No 'ghc' executable is found in your PATH! Turn off BOOT option." ; false ; \
+	fi
 .endif
 # If DOCS are set, install HsColour in-place
 .if ${PORT_OPTIONS:MDOCS}