diff --git a/core/cli/packages.el b/core/cli/packages.el
index a2a1fb850..146717bfe 100644
--- a/core/cli/packages.el
+++ b/core/cli/packages.el
@@ -315,7 +315,9 @@ declaration) or dependency thereof that hasn't already been."
                     (when (eq (car-safe build) :not)
                       (setq want-byte-compile (not want-byte-compile)
                             want-native-compile (not want-native-compile)))
-                    (unless (require 'comp nil t)
+                    (unless (and (require 'comp nil t)
+                                 (featurep 'nativecomp)
+                                 (ignore-errors (native-comp-available-p)))
                       (setq want-native-compile nil))
                     (and (or want-byte-compile want-native-compile)
                          (or (file-newer-than-file-p repo-dir build-dir)