diff --git a/Tools/ardupilotwaf/boards.py b/Tools/ardupilotwaf/boards.py
index f92feeedd0..58685d1bf6 100644
--- a/Tools/ardupilotwaf/boards.py
+++ b/Tools/ardupilotwaf/boards.py
@@ -407,6 +407,15 @@ class chibios(Board):
         env.GIT_SUBMODULES += [
             'ChibiOS',
         ]
+
+        try:
+            import intelhex
+            env.HAVE_INTEL_HEX = True
+            cfg.msg("Checking for intelhex module:", 'OK')
+        except Exception:
+            cfg.msg("Checking for intelhex module:", 'disabled', color='YELLOW')
+            env.HAVE_INTEL_HEX = False
+        
         cfg.load('chibios')
 
     def build(self, bld):
diff --git a/Tools/ardupilotwaf/chibios.py b/Tools/ardupilotwaf/chibios.py
index 288ff8993a..a8b2a492b5 100644
--- a/Tools/ardupilotwaf/chibios.py
+++ b/Tools/ardupilotwaf/chibios.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def chibios_firmware(self):
         abin_task.set_run_after(generate_apj_task)
 
     bootloader_bin = self.bld.srcnode.make_node("Tools/bootloaders/%s_bl.bin" % self.env.BOARD)
-    if os.path.exists(bootloader_bin.abspath()):
+    if os.path.exists(bootloader_bin.abspath()) and self.bld.env.HAVE_INTEL_HEX:
         hex_target = self.bld.bldnode.find_or_declare('bin/' + link_output.change_ext('.hex').name)
         hex_task = self.create_task('build_intel_hex', src=[bin_target, bootloader_bin], tgt=hex_target)
         hex_task.set_run_after(generate_bin_task)