diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index b1ab3c7f..efa5bc68 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ def options(opt):
 def check_deps(conf):
 	if conf.env.DEST_OS != 'win32':
 		conf.check_cc(lib='dl', mandatory=False)
-		conf.check_cc(lib='bz2', mandatory=False)
+		conf.check_cc(lib='bz2', mandatory=True)
 		conf.check_cc(lib='rt', mandatory=False)
 
 		if not conf.env.LIB_M: # HACK: already added in xcompile!