diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7a25a4a8a4..82111fa7bb 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -336,6 +336,9 @@ AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(int)
 AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(long)
 AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(long long)
 AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(void *)
+AS_IF([test "$ac_cv_sizeof_void_p" -eq 4],
+      [AC_MSG_WARN([PRRTE does not support 32 bit builds.])
+       AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot continue])])
 AC_CHECK_SIZEOF(size_t)
 
 #