diff --git a/examples/SolverComparer.cpp b/examples/SolverComparer.cpp
index 6bdb8cf26..49159924d 100644
--- a/examples/SolverComparer.cpp
+++ b/examples/SolverComparer.cpp
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@
 #include <boost/range/algorithm/set_algorithm.hpp>
 #include <boost/random.hpp>
 
+#ifdef GTSAM_USE_TBB
 #include <tbb/tbb.h>
 #undef max // TBB seems to include windows.h and we don't want these macros
 #undef min
+#endif
 
 using namespace std;
 using namespace gtsam;
@@ -185,12 +187,19 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     }
   }
 
+#ifdef GTSAM_USE_TBB
   std::auto_ptr<tbb::task_scheduler_init> init;
   if(nThreads > 0) {
     cout << "Using " << nThreads << " threads" << endl;
     init.reset(new tbb::task_scheduler_init(nThreads));
   } else
     cout << "Using threads for all processors" << endl;
+#else
+  if(nThreads > 0) {
+    std::cout << "GTSAM is not compiled with TBB, so threading is disabled and the --threads option cannot be used." << endl;
+    exit(1);
+  }
+#endif
 
   // Run mode
   if(incremental)