diff --git a/target/hexagon/cpu.h b/target/hexagon/cpu.h
index 79e60d4bfa..f78c8f9c2a 100644
--- a/target/hexagon/cpu.h
+++ b/target/hexagon/cpu.h
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@
 #include "mmvec/mmvec.h"
 #include "hw/registerfields.h"
 
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+#error "Hexagon does not support system emulation"
+#endif
+
 #define NUM_PREGS 4
 #define TOTAL_PER_THREAD_REGS 64