diff --git a/libraries/AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor.cpp b/libraries/AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor.cpp
index 4df0afb31e1..43558022b4c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor.cpp
@@ -265,10 +265,12 @@ AP_BattMonitor::init()
             case Type::ANALOG_VOLTAGE_AND_CURRENT:
                 drivers[instance] = new AP_BattMonitor_Analog(*this, state[instance], _params[instance]);
                 break;
-#if AP_BATTMON_SMBUS_ENABLE
+#if AP_BATTMON_SMBUS_SOLO_ENABLED
             case Type::SOLO:
                 drivers[instance] = new AP_BattMonitor_SMBus_Solo(*this, state[instance], _params[instance]);
                 break;
+#endif
+#if AP_BATTMON_SMBUS_ENABLE
             case Type::SMBus_Generic:
                 drivers[instance] = new AP_BattMonitor_SMBus_Generic(*this, state[instance], _params[instance]);
                 break;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor_config.h b/libraries/AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor_config.h
index 605f1bef1ea..45d96174799 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor_config.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor_config.h
@@ -20,3 +20,6 @@
 #define AP_BATTMON_SYNTHETIC_CURRENT_ENABLED  1
 #endif
 
+#ifndef AP_BATTMON_SMBUS_SOLO_ENABLED
+#define AP_BATTMON_SMBUS_SOLO_ENABLED 0  // turned on in hwdefs
+#endif