diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass.cpp
index 0bf0bb0445..eef8add899 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass.cpp
@@ -1085,7 +1085,7 @@ void Compass::_probe_external_i2c_compasses(void)
 #endif  // !defined(HAL_SKIP_AUTO_INTERNAL_I2C_PROBE)
 #endif  // AP_COMPASS_HMC5843_ENABLED
 
-#if AP_COMPASS_I2C_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED || defined(HAL_USE_I2C_MAG_QMC5883L)
+#if AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED
     //external i2c bus
     FOREACH_I2C_EXTERNAL(i) {
         ADD_BACKEND(DRIVER_QMC5883L, AP_Compass_QMC5883L::probe(GET_I2C_DEVICE(i, HAL_COMPASS_QMC5883L_I2C_ADDR),
@@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@ void Compass::_probe_external_i2c_compasses(void)
         }
     }
 #endif
-#endif
+#endif  // AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED
 
 #ifndef HAL_BUILD_AP_PERIPH
     // AK09916 on ICM20948
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass.h b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass.h
index a78304c908..d57d7f801e 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass.h
@@ -447,7 +447,9 @@ private:
 #if AP_COMPASS_UAVCAN_ENABLED
         DRIVER_UAVCAN   =11,
 #endif
+#if AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED
         DRIVER_QMC5883L =12,
+#endif
 #if AP_COMPASS_SITL_ENABLED
         DRIVER_SITL     =13,
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.cpp
index adc7b5ba93..ad1bea4989 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
  */
 #include "AP_Compass_QMC5883L.h"
 
+#if AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED
+
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <utility>
 
@@ -216,3 +218,4 @@ void AP_Compass_QMC5883L::_dump_registers()
 	    }
 }
 
+#endif  // AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.h b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.h
index bbf601585f..d133c8677b 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.h
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
  */
 #pragma once
 
+#include "AP_Compass_config.h"
+
+#if AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED
+
 #include <AP_Common/AP_Common.h>
 #include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL.h>
 #include <AP_HAL/I2CDevice.h>
@@ -66,3 +70,5 @@ private:
     uint8_t _instance;
     bool _force_external:1;
 };
+
+#endif  // AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_config.h b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_config.h
index ad6d6f9885..0332e7f1fa 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_config.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_config.h
@@ -86,3 +86,7 @@
 #ifndef AP_COMPASS_MMC3416_ENABLED
 #define AP_COMPASS_MMC3416_ENABLED AP_COMPASS_I2C_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
 #endif
+
+#ifndef AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED
+#define AP_COMPASS_QMC5883L_ENABLED AP_COMPASS_I2C_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
+#endif