diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 33581843..59d16c7f 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -203,9 +203,10 @@ def configure(conf):
     if build_gui:
         # We need the boost headers package (e.g. libboost-dev)
         # shared_ptr.hpp and weak_ptr.hpp
-        build_gui = conf.check_boost(
+        conf.check_boost(
             mandatory = False,
             errmsg="not found, see http://boost.org/")
+        build_gui = not not conf.env['BOOST_VERSION']
 
     conf.env['BUILD_GLADISH'] = build_gui