diff --git a/glfw/glfw.py b/glfw/glfw.py
index 57de4cce4..b440a667c 100755
--- a/glfw/glfw.py
+++ b/glfw/glfw.py
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ def init_env(env, pkg_config, at_least_version, module='x11'):
 def build_wayland_protocols(env, run_tool, emphasis, newer, dest_dir):
     for protocol in env.wayland_protocols:
         src = os.path.join(env.wayland_packagedir, protocol)
+        if not os.path.exists(src):
+            raise SystemExit('The wayland-protocols package on your system is missing the {} protocol definition file'.format(protocol))
         for ext in 'hc':
             dest = wayland_protocol_file_name(src, ext)
             dest = os.path.join(dest_dir, dest)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 407624ae9..79dff7883 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -401,7 +401,12 @@ def compile_glfw(incremental, compilation_database, all_keys):
         sources = [os.path.join('glfw', x) for x in genv.sources]
         all_headers = [os.path.join('glfw', x) for x in genv.all_headers]
         if module == 'wayland':
-            glfw.build_wayland_protocols(genv, run_tool, emphasis, newer, os.path.join(base, 'glfw'))
+            try:
+                glfw.build_wayland_protocols(genv, run_tool, emphasis, newer, os.path.join(base, 'glfw'))
+            except SystemExit as err:
+                print(err, file=sys.stderr)
+                print(error('Disabling building of wayland backend'), file=sys.stderr)
+                continue
         compile_c_extension(genv, 'kitty/glfw-' + module, incremental, compilation_database, all_keys, sources, all_headers)