diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6c249064ec2..2293f4151a0 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1788,7 +1788,7 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS([maxminddb.h], [
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAS_MAXMINDDB], [test "x${has_maxminddb}" = "x1" ])
 
 AC_ARG_WITH([hrw-geo-provider],
-  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-hrw-geo-provider=geoip|maxminddb],[geo provider to use with header_rewrite [default=auto] ])],
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-hrw-geo-provider=geoip|maxminddb|none],[geo provider to use with header_rewrite [default=auto]; use 'none' or --without-hrw-geo-provider to disable geo support])],
   [geo_provider=$withval],
   [geo_provider="auto"]
 )
@@ -1806,22 +1806,32 @@ AS_IF([test "x$geo_provider" = "xauto"], [
 ],[
   case "x$geo_provider" in
     xgeoip)
+      AS_IF([test "x$has_geoip" != "x1"],
+        [AC_MSG_FAILURE([--with-hrw-geo-provider=geoip specified but GeoIP library not found])])
       use_hrw_geoip=1
       AC_MSG_RESULT([forced to GeoIP])
       ;;
     xmaxminddb)
+      AS_IF([test "x$has_maxminddb" != "x1"],
+        [AC_MSG_FAILURE([--with-hrw-geo-provider=maxminddb specified but MaxMindDB library not found])])
       use_hrw_maxminddb=1
       AC_MSG_RESULT([forced to MaxMindDB])
       ;;
+    xno|xnone)
+      AC_MSG_NOTICE([geo support for header_rewrite disabled])
+      ;;
     *)
       AC_MSG_RESULT([failed])
-      AC_MSG_FAILURE([unknown geo interface $geo_provider])
+      AC_MSG_FAILURE([unknown geo interface '$geo_provider': valid values are 'geoip', 'maxminddb', or 'none'])
   esac
 ])
 
 AC_SUBST(use_hrw_geoip)
 AC_SUBST(use_hrw_maxminddb)
 
+AM_CONDITIONAL([USE_HRW_GEOIP], [test "x${use_hrw_geoip}" = "x1"])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([USE_HRW_MAXMINDDB], [test "x${use_hrw_maxminddb}" = "x1"])
+
 # Checking if opentelemetry OTLP is available
 AC_LANG_PUSH([C++])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([opentelemetry/trace/provider.h], [
diff --git a/plugins/header_rewrite/Makefile.inc b/plugins/header_rewrite/Makefile.inc
index a74c2d6dc85..3440d0a5cf2 100644
--- a/plugins/header_rewrite/Makefile.inc
+++ b/plugins/header_rewrite/Makefile.inc
@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@ header_rewrite_header_rewrite_la_SOURCES = \
 	header_rewrite/value.cc \
 	header_rewrite/value.h
 
-if HAS_MAXMINDDB
+if USE_HRW_MAXMINDDB
 header_rewrite_header_rewrite_la_SOURCES += header_rewrite/conditions_geo_maxmind.cc
 endif
 
-if HAS_GEOIP
+if USE_HRW_GEOIP
 header_rewrite_header_rewrite_la_SOURCES += header_rewrite/conditions_geo_geoip.cc
 endif
 
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ header_rewrite_parser_la_SOURCES = \
 header_rewrite_header_rewrite_la_LIBADD = \
 	header_rewrite/parser.la
 
-if HAS_GEOIP
+if USE_HRW_GEOIP
 header_rewrite_header_rewrite_la_LIBADD += $(GEOIP_LIBS)
 endif
 
-if HAS_MAXMINDDB
+if USE_HRW_MAXMINDDB
 header_rewrite_header_rewrite_la_LIBADD += $(MAXMINDDB_LIBS)
 endif
 
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ header_rewrite_header_rewrite_test_SOURCES = \
 	header_rewrite/header_rewrite_test.cc
 header_rewrite_header_rewrite_test_LDADD = \
 	header_rewrite/parser.la
-if HAS_GEOIP
+if USE_HRW_GEOIP
 header_rewrite_header_rewrite_test_LDADD += $(GEOIP_LIBS)
 endif
 
-if HAS_MAXMINDDB
+if USE_HRW_MAXMINDDB
 header_rewrite_header_rewrite_test_LDADD += $(MAXMINDDB_LIBS)
 endif