diff --git a/src/ui.c b/src/ui.c
index d641af5..0aa0854 100644
--- a/src/ui.c
+++ b/src/ui.c
@@ -153,26 +153,26 @@ void ( *init_ui )( int argc, char** argv );
 void setup_frontend( void )
 {
     switch ( frontend_type ) {
+#if defined(HAS_X11)
         case FRONTEND_X11:
         default:
-#ifdef HAS_X11
             init_ui = init_x11_ui;
-#else
-            fprintf( stderr, "ERROR: x11 frontend disabled at compilation\n" );
-            exit( -1 );
-#endif
             break;
+#endif
 
+#if defined(HAS_SDL)
         case FRONTEND_SDL:
-#ifdef HAS_SDL
-            init_ui = init_sdl_ui;
-#else
-            fprintf( stderr, "ERROR: sdl frontend disabled at compilation\n" );
-            exit( -1 );
+#if (!defined(HAS_X11)
+        default:
 #endif
+            init_ui = init_sdl_ui;
             break;
+#endif
 
         case FRONTEND_TEXT:
+#if (!defined(HAS_X11) && !defined(HAS_SDL))
+        default:
+#endif
             init_ui = init_text_ui;
             break;
     }