diff --git a/samples/configure b/samples/configure
index 20c677220f..275784d471 100755
--- a/samples/configure
+++ b/samples/configure
@@ -523,6 +523,10 @@ fi
 
 
 
+if test "x$wx_cv_path_samplesubdirs" = "x"; then
+    { echo "configure: error: Please run configure from the top level directory." 1>&2; exit 1; }
+fi
+
 SAMPLES_SUBDIRS=$wx_cv_path_samplesubdirs
 
 
diff --git a/samples/configure.in b/samples/configure.in
index 773f646107..c95587e95a 100644
--- a/samples/configure.in
+++ b/samples/configure.in
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ AC_REVISION($Id$)dnl
 
 AC_INIT(Makefile.in)
 
+dnl we need the values the main configure determined for us, so refuse
+dnl to run if we don't have them
+if test "x$wx_cv_path_samplesubdirs" = "x"; then
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([Please run configure from the top level directory.])
+fi
+
 SAMPLES_SUBDIRS=$wx_cv_path_samplesubdirs
 AC_SUBST(SAMPLES_SUBDIRS)