diff --git a/src/hb-config.hh b/src/hb-config.hh
index 38a685e43..adf2b3348 100644
--- a/src/hb-config.hh
+++ b/src/hb-config.hh
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@
 #ifdef HB_NO_OT
 #define HB_NO_OT_FONT
 #define HB_NO_OT_LAYOUT
+#define HB_NO_OT_TAG
 #define HB_NO_OT_SHAPE
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout.cc b/src/hb-ot-layout.cc
index 63ccab885..98cd10923 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout.cc
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout.cc
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@
 
 #ifndef HB_NO_OT_LAYOUT
 
+#ifdef HB_NO_OT_TAG
+#error "Cannot compile hb-ot-layout.cc with HB_NO_OT_TAG."
+#endif
+
 #include "hb-open-type.hh"
 #include "hb-ot-layout.hh"
 #include "hb-ot-face.hh"
diff --git a/src/hb-ot-tag.cc b/src/hb-ot-tag.cc
index e63045894..8ad917ae7 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-tag.cc
+++ b/src/hb-ot-tag.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 
 #include "hb.hh"
 
+#ifndef HB_NO_OT_TAG
+
 
 /* hb_script_t */
 
@@ -548,3 +550,6 @@ main ()
 }
 
 #endif
+
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/hb-uniscribe.cc b/src/hb-uniscribe.cc
index 88f429401..5c7ff8744 100644
--- a/src/hb-uniscribe.cc
+++ b/src/hb-uniscribe.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@
 
 #ifdef HAVE_UNISCRIBE
 
+#ifdef HB_NO_OT_TAG
+#error "Cannot compile 'uniscribe' shaper with HB_NO_OT_TAG."
+#endif
+
 #include "hb-shaper-impl.hh"
 
 #include <windows.h>