diff --git a/config/ompi_contrib.m4 b/config/ompi_contrib.m4
index ba0cdd7531..56c721f302 100644
--- a/config/ompi_contrib.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_contrib.m4
@@ -121,6 +121,13 @@ AC_DEFUN([_OMPI_CONTRIB_CONFIGURE],[
             AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
         else
             AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+
+            # If this component was requested via command line switch, then abort.
+            if test "x$enable_$1" = xyes ; then
+                AC_MSG_WARN([Contributed component "$1" failed to configure properly])
+                AC_MSG_WARN([This component was requested via command line switch])
+                AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot continue])
+            fi
         fi
     else
         AC_MSG_NOTICE([disabled via command line switch])
diff --git a/ompi/contrib/vt/configure.m4 b/ompi/contrib/vt/configure.m4
index 7fb98ba6e0..89c9817541 100644
--- a/ompi/contrib/vt/configure.m4
+++ b/ompi/contrib/vt/configure.m4
@@ -52,9 +52,13 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_contrib_vt_CONFIG],[
             AC_WARN([*** Please re-configure Open MPI to use the STLport4])
             AC_WARN([*** by adding the compiler flag -library=stlport4])
             AC_WARN([*** to CXXFLAGS.])
-            AC_WARN([*** Pausing to give you time to read this message...])
+            if test "x$enable_vt" != xyes; then
+                AC_WARN([*** Pausing to give you time to read this message...])
+            fi
             AC_WARN([***********************************************************])
-            sleep 10
+            if test "x$enable_vt" != xyes; then
+                sleep 10
+            fi
             contrib_vt_happy=0
         ])
         AC_LANG_POP(C++)