diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index f41c75f..cbd4ef6 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ before_install:
 install:
   - autoreconf --install
   - eval `perl -V:siteprefix`
+  # Note: this will complain Test::Output isn't yet installed:
   - ./configure --prefix=$siteprefix && make
+  # but that's OK because we install it here:
   - make cpanm
 script:
   - make distcheck
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d22b1d4..699a88b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -99,9 +99,12 @@ EOF
 !
 ! Please (re-)read INSTALL, then install the missing modules
 ! and try again.
-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
+!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
 EOF
+    if test -n "$STRICT_TESTS"; then
+      exit 1
+    fi
   fi
 ]])
 AC_SUBST([PMDIR])