diff --git a/libraries/AP_BoardConfig/AP_BoardConfig.cpp b/libraries/AP_BoardConfig/AP_BoardConfig.cpp
index 829cbf4123..d2773b4ac0 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_BoardConfig/AP_BoardConfig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_BoardConfig/AP_BoardConfig.cpp
@@ -238,9 +238,11 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo AP_BoardConfig::var_info[] = {
     // @User: Standard
     AP_GROUPINFO("SAFETYOPTION",   13, AP_BoardConfig, state.safety_option, BOARD_SAFETY_OPTION_DEFAULT),
 
+#if AP_RTC_ENABLED
     // @Group: RTC
     // @Path: ../AP_RTC/AP_RTC.cpp
     AP_SUBGROUPINFO(rtc, "RTC", 14, AP_BoardConfig, AP_RTC),
+#endif
 
 #if HAL_HAVE_BOARD_VOLTAGE
     // @Param: VBUS_MIN
@@ -378,7 +380,9 @@ void AP_BoardConfig::init()
 
     board_setup();
 
+#if AP_RTC_ENABLED
     AP::rtc().set_utc_usec(hal.util->get_hw_rtc(), AP_RTC::SOURCE_HW);
+#endif
 
     if (_boot_delay_ms > 0) {
         uint16_t delay_ms = uint16_t(_boot_delay_ms.get());
diff --git a/libraries/AP_BoardConfig/AP_BoardConfig.h b/libraries/AP_BoardConfig/AP_BoardConfig.h
index c6112dfc28..d0a89c490d 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_BoardConfig/AP_BoardConfig.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_BoardConfig/AP_BoardConfig.h
@@ -278,9 +278,11 @@ private:
     // direct attached radio
     AP_Radio _radio;
 #endif
-    
+
+#if AP_RTC_ENABLED
     // real-time-clock; private because access is via the singleton
     AP_RTC rtc;
+#endif
 
 #if HAL_HAVE_BOARD_VOLTAGE
     AP_Float _vbus_min;