diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index f8d014b30d..8f5babacfb 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -92,12 +92,6 @@
  *      pair
  */
 
-
-#ifdef EXTERNAL_OPTS_OPENVPN
-#error EXTERNAL_OPTS_OPENVPN should not be defined\
-    when building wolfSSL
-#endif
-
 #ifndef WOLFCRYPT_ONLY
 
 #include <wolfssl/internal.h>
diff --git a/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h b/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h
index 40c76a19a7..9316a92a27 100644
--- a/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h
+++ b/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h
@@ -319,8 +319,10 @@
     #endif
 #endif
 
-#if defined(BUILDING_WOLFSSL) && defined(WOLFSSL_OPTIONS_H)
-    #error wolfssl/options.h included in build of library object.
+#if (defined(BUILDING_WOLFSSL) && defined(WOLFSSL_USE_OPTIONS_H)) || \
+    (defined(BUILDING_WOLFSSL) && defined(WOLFSSL_OPTIONS_H) &&      \
+     !defined(EXTERNAL_OPTS_OPENVPN))
+    #error wolfssl/options.h included in compiled wolfssl library object.
 #endif
 
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_USER_SETTINGS
diff --git a/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/types.h b/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/types.h
index 5fb14b88a3..e77ba2adb8 100644
--- a/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/types.h
+++ b/wolfssl/wolfcrypt/types.h
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ decouple library dependencies with standard string, memory and so on.
     #include <wolfssl/wolfcrypt/settings.h>
     #include <wolfssl/wolfcrypt/wc_port.h>
 
+    #ifdef EXTERNAL_OPTS_OPENVPN
+    #error EXTERNAL_OPTS_OPENVPN should not be defined in compiled files.
+    #endif
+
     #ifdef __APPLE__
         #include <AvailabilityMacros.h>
     #endif