diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 92b4d0b..9aafe7c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -232,6 +232,9 @@
 # collect all object files eligible for building
 subdirs:=$(TOPLEVEL)
 $(eval $(call evaluate_subdirs))
+ifeq ($(FAILBUILD),1)
+$(error cannot continue build)
+endif
 
 # Eliminate duplicate mentions of source files in a class
 $(foreach class,$(classes),$(eval $(class)-srcs:=$(sort $($(class)-srcs))))
diff --git a/Makefile.inc b/Makefile.inc
index 069bdfe..ad97363 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc
+++ b/Makefile.inc
@@ -105,10 +105,6 @@
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_USE_BLOBS),y)
 forgetthis:=$(shell git submodule update --init --checkout 3rdparty)
-else
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_REQUIRES_BLOB),y)
-$(error Your current configuration requires binary-only components, but you did not choose to use them)
-endif
 endif
 
 bootblock-c-ccopts:=-D__BOOT_BLOCK__ -D__PRE_RAM__
@@ -164,6 +160,11 @@
 		$(if $(wildcard $(1)$($(2)-file)), \
 			$(eval tmp-cbfs-file:= $(wildcard $(1)$($(2)-file))), \
 			$(eval tmp-cbfs-file:= $($(2)-file))) \
+		$(if $(strip $($(2)-required)), \
+			$(if $(wildcard $(tmp-cbfs-file)),, \
+				$(info This build configuration requires $($(2)-required)) \
+				$(eval FAILBUILD:=1) \
+			)) \
 		$(if $(tmp-cbfs-method), \
 			$(eval tmp-old-cbfs-file:=$(tmp-cbfs-file)) \
 			$(eval tmp-cbfs-file:=$(shell mkdir -p $(obj)/mainboard/$(MAINBOARDDIR); mktemp $(obj)/mainboard/$(MAINBOARDDIR)/cbfs-file.XXXXXX).out) \
@@ -172,7 +173,8 @@
 		$(eval $(2)-name:=) \
 		$(eval $(2)-type:=) \
 		$(eval $(2)-compression:=) \
-		$(eval $(2)-position:=)
+		$(eval $(2)-position:=) \
+		$(eval $(2)-required:=)
 
 #######################################################################
 # a variety of flags for our build
diff --git a/src/Kconfig b/src/Kconfig
index 4e7957e..2dc251d 100644
--- a/src/Kconfig
+++ b/src/Kconfig
@@ -184,16 +184,6 @@
 	  might be required for some chipsets or boards.
 	  This flag ensures that a "Free" option remains available for users.
 
-config REQUIRES_BLOB
-	bool
-	default n
-	help
-	  This option can be configured by boards that require the blobs
-	  repository for the default configuration. It will make the build
-	  fail if USE_BLOBS is disabled. Users that still desire to do a
-	  coreboot build for such a board can override this manually, but
-	  this option serves as warning that it might fail.
-
 config COVERAGE
 	bool "Code coverage support"
 	depends on COMPILER_GCC
diff --git a/src/cpu/amd/geode_gx2/Makefile.inc b/src/cpu/amd/geode_gx2/Makefile.inc
index b3f3de9..d8a4faf 100644
--- a/src/cpu/amd/geode_gx2/Makefile.inc
+++ b/src/cpu/amd/geode_gx2/Makefile.inc
@@ -11,3 +11,5 @@
 cbfs-files-$(CONFIG_GEODE_VSA_FILE) += vsa
 vsa-file = $(call strip_quotes,$(CONFIG_VSA_FILENAME)):vsa
 vsa-type = stage
+vsa-required = VSA binary (binary and MASM source code available in coreboot/3rdparty repository)
+
diff --git a/src/cpu/amd/geode_lx/Kconfig b/src/cpu/amd/geode_lx/Kconfig
index 777dc94..7deb100 100644
--- a/src/cpu/amd/geode_lx/Kconfig
+++ b/src/cpu/amd/geode_lx/Kconfig
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 	bool
 	default y
 	select PCI_OPTION_ROM_RUN_REALMODE
-	select REQUIRES_BLOB
 
 config GEODE_VSA_FILE
 	bool "Add a VSA image"
diff --git a/src/cpu/amd/geode_lx/Makefile.inc b/src/cpu/amd/geode_lx/Makefile.inc
index c9df888..0280aac 100644
--- a/src/cpu/amd/geode_lx/Makefile.inc
+++ b/src/cpu/amd/geode_lx/Makefile.inc
@@ -11,3 +11,5 @@
 cbfs-files-$(CONFIG_GEODE_VSA_FILE) += vsa
 vsa-file = $(call strip_quotes,$(CONFIG_VSA_FILENAME)):vsa
 vsa-type = stage
+vsa-required = VSA binary (binary and MASM source code available in coreboot/3rdparty repository)
+
diff --git a/src/southbridge/amd/agesa/hudson/Kconfig b/src/southbridge/amd/agesa/hudson/Kconfig
index a469970..a7436b5 100644
--- a/src/southbridge/amd/agesa/hudson/Kconfig
+++ b/src/southbridge/amd/agesa/hudson/Kconfig
@@ -46,21 +46,18 @@
 config HUDSON_XHCI_FWM
 	bool "Add xhci firmware"
 	default y
-	select REQUIRES_BLOB
         help
 	  Add Hudson 2/3/4 XHCI Firmware to support the onboard usb3.0
 
 config HUDSON_IMC_FWM
 	bool "Add imc firmware"
 	default y
-	select REQUIRES_BLOB
         help
 	  Add Hudson 2/3/4 IMC Firmware to support the onboard fan control
 
 config HUDSON_GEC_FWM
 	bool "Add gec firmware"
 	default n
-	select REQUIRES_BLOB
         help
 	  Add Hudson 2/3/4 GEC Firmware
 
diff --git a/src/southbridge/amd/agesa/hudson/Makefile.inc b/src/southbridge/amd/agesa/hudson/Makefile.inc
index c9a1731..18a0ffb 100644
--- a/src/southbridge/amd/agesa/hudson/Makefile.inc
+++ b/src/southbridge/amd/agesa/hudson/Makefile.inc
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 hudson/xhci-file := $(call strip_quotes, $(CONFIG_HUDSON_XHCI_FWM_FILE))
 hudson/xhci-position := $(HUDSON_XHCI_POSITION)
 hudson/xhci-type := raw
+hudson/xhci-required := Hudson XHCI firmware (available in coreboot/3rdparty if enabled)
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_HUDSON_IMC_FWM), y)
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@
 hudson/imc-file := $(call strip_quotes, $(CONFIG_HUDSON_IMC_FWM_FILE))
 hudson/imc-position := $(HUDSON_IMC_POSITION)
 hudson/imc-type := raw
+hudson/imc-required := Hudson IMC Firmware (available in coreboot/3rdparty if enabled)
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_HUDSON_GEC_FWM), y)
@@ -88,6 +90,7 @@
 hudson/gec-file := $(call strip_quotes, $(CONFIG_HUDSON_GEC_FWM_FILE))
 hudson/gec-position := $(HUDSON_GEC_POSITION)
 hudson/gec-type := raw
+hudson/gec-required := Hudson Gigabit Ethernet Controller Firmware (Contact your AMD representative)
 endif
 
 #ifeq ($(CONFIG_HUDSON_SATA_AHCI), y)
@@ -96,5 +99,6 @@
 cbfs-files-y += pci$(stripped_ahci_rom_id).rom
 pci$(stripped_ahci_rom_id).rom-file := $(call strip_quotes,$(CONFIG_AHCI_ROM_FILE))
 pci$(stripped_ahci_rom_id).rom-type := optionrom
+pci$(stripped_ahci_rom_id).rom-required := Hudson AHCI Option ROM (Contact your AMD representative)
 #endif
 endif