diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9a4abd9173578cbffc7a7b7260e8a681101fc5a6..365ead357dbdb9676863b51395a323f40df9780b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ conan: conan-install-deps conan-create
 .PHONY: conan
 
 doc:
+	@doxygen --version || ( echo "Doxygen not found.  Please install Doxygen first." ; exit 1 )
 	mkdir -p build && cd build && conan install .. --build=missing -s $(CONAN_SETTINGS) \
 	  && cmake .. && cmake --build . --target doc-sphinx \
 	  && echo "The documentation starts at build/doc/sphinx_out/index.html ."