diff --git a/spice.proto b/spice.proto
index de238c7..e3feffa 100644
--- a/spice.proto
+++ b/spice.proto
@@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ channel SmartcardChannel : BaseChannel {
     message {
 	int8 reader_name[] @zero_terminated @nonnull;
     } @ctype(VSCMsgReaderAdd) reader_add = 101;
-};
+} @ifdef(USE_SMARTCARD);
 
 channel SpicevmcChannel : BaseChannel {
 server: