diff --git a/programs/ssl/ssl_server2.c b/programs/ssl/ssl_server2.c
index 2c5a8cee9..f369dc840 100644
--- a/programs/ssl/ssl_server2.c
+++ b/programs/ssl/ssl_server2.c
@@ -1595,7 +1595,7 @@ int main( int argc, char *argv[] )
         ret = mbedtls_x509_crt_parse_file( &cacert, opt.ca_file );
     else
 #endif
-#if defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C)
+#if defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C) && defined(MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C)
         for( i = 0; mbedtls_test_cas[i] != NULL; i++ )
         {
             ret = mbedtls_x509_crt_parse( &cacert,
@@ -1607,9 +1607,13 @@ int main( int argc, char *argv[] )
 #else
     {
         ret = 1;
-        mbedtls_printf("MBEDTLS_CERTS_C not defined.");
+#if !defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C)
+        mbedtls_printf( "MBEDTLS_CERTS_C not defined." );
+#else
+        mbedtls_printf( "All test CRTs loaded via MBEDTLS_CERTS_C are PEM-encoded, but MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C is disabled." );
     }
-#endif
+#endif /* MBEDTLS_CERTS_C */
+#endif /* MBEDTLS_CERTS_C && MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C */
     if( ret < 0 )
     {
         mbedtls_printf( " failed\n  !  mbedtls_x509_crt_parse returned -0x%x\n\n", -ret );