diff --git a/changes/bug13228 b/changes/bug13228
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0de013cb51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug13228
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+  o Build fixes:
+    - Improve configure script error message to make it clear
+      that compilation has failed and that user has to either 
+      add --disable-asciidoc argument or install asciidoc.
+      Resolves ticket 13228.
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index bd46a7c662..73499c22ef 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1599,7 +1599,9 @@ if test x$asciidoc = xtrue && test "$ASCIIDOC" = "none" ; then
     if ! [[ -f "$srcdir/$file.1.in" ]] || ! [[ -f "$srcdir/$file.html.in" ]] ; then
       echo "==================================";
       echo;
-      echo "You need asciidoc installed to be able to build the manpage.";
+      echo "Building Tor has failed since manpages cannot be built.";
+      echo;
+      echo "You need asciidoc installed to be able to build the manpages.";
       echo "To build without manpages, use the --disable-asciidoc argument";
       echo "when calling configure.";
       echo;