diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7d8d26b1e6..dda764d3f0 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2076,6 +2076,19 @@ fi
 AC_SUBST([DEVMAPPER_CFLAGS])
 AC_SUBST([DEVMAPPER_LIBS])
 
+with_storage=no
+for backend in dir fs lvm iscsi scsi mpath rbd disk; do
+    if eval test \$with_storage_$backend = yes; then
+        with_storage=yes
+        break
+    fi
+done
+if test $with_storage = yes; then
+    AC_DEFINE([WITH_STORAGE], [1],
+      [Define to 1 if at least one storage backend is in use])
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL([WITH_STORAGE], [test "$with_storage" = "yes"])
+
 dnl
 dnl check for libcurl (ESX/XenAPI)
 dnl
diff --git a/daemon/Makefile.am b/daemon/Makefile.am
index b1518c58c3..fbb0ae1f90 100644
--- a/daemon/Makefile.am
+++ b/daemon/Makefile.am
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ if WITH_UML
     libvirtd_LDADD += ../src/libvirt_driver_uml.la
 endif
 
-if WITH_STORAGE_DIR
+if WITH_STORAGE
     libvirtd_LDADD += ../src/libvirt_driver_storage.la
 endif
 
diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd.c b/daemon/libvirtd.c
index c74cd43092..d5ad05e92d 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd.c
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
 # ifdef WITH_NETCF
 #  include "interface/netcf_driver.h"
 # endif
-# ifdef WITH_STORAGE_DIR
+# ifdef WITH_STORAGE
 #  include "storage/storage_driver.h"
 # endif
 # ifdef WITH_NODE_DEVICES
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ static void daemonInitialize(void)
 # ifdef WITH_NETCF
     interfaceRegister();
 # endif
-# ifdef WITH_STORAGE_DIR
+# ifdef WITH_STORAGE
     storageRegister();
 # endif
 # ifdef WITH_NODE_DEVICES
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index dd1af6595e..2d737afff9 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -967,7 +967,7 @@ if HAVE_LIBBLKID
 libvirt_driver_storage_la_CFLAGS += $(BLKID_CFLAGS)
 libvirt_driver_storage_la_LIBADD += $(BLKID_LIBS)
 endif
-if WITH_STORAGE_DIR
+if WITH_STORAGE
 if WITH_DRIVER_MODULES
 mod_LTLIBRARIES += libvirt_driver_storage.la
 else