diff --git a/firmware/Makefile b/firmware/Makefile
index 066097aa83..b4075b3e7b 100644
--- a/firmware/Makefile
+++ b/firmware/Makefile
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ OC    = sh-elf-objcopy
 
 INCLUDES=-Iinclude -I. -Iexport -Icommon -Idrivers
 
-TOOLSDIR = ../tools
-
 CFLAGS = -W -Wall -O -m1 -nostdlib -ffreestanding -Wstrict-prototypes $(INCLUDES) $(TARGET) $(EXTRA_DEFINES) -DMEM=${MEM}
 
 ifndef MEM
@@ -53,6 +51,11 @@ no_configure:
 	@echo "http://rockbox.haxx.se/docs/how_to_compile.html"
 endif
 
+ifndef TOOLSDIR
+no_toolsdir:
+	@echo "Rerun the configure script."
+endif
+
 all: $(OUTPUT) $(EXTRA_TARGETS)
 
 $(OUTPUT): $(OBJS)