diff --git a/src/bin/tuc.rs b/src/bin/tuc.rs
index 988a11e..d510265 100644
--- a/src/bin/tuc.rs
+++ b/src/bin/tuc.rs
@@ -167,6 +167,13 @@ fn parse_args() -> Result<Opt, pico_args::Error> {
         std::process::exit(1);
     }
 
+    if bounds_type == BoundsType::Characters && cfg!(not(feature = "regex")) {
+        eprintln!(
+            "tuc: runtime error. The use of --characters requires `tuc` to be compiled with `regex` support"
+        );
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    }
+
     if bounds_type == BoundsType::Characters {
         replace_delimiter = Some("".into());
     }
diff --git a/tests/cli.rs b/tests/cli.rs
index 5c58fd1..0a172d0 100644
--- a/tests/cli.rs
+++ b/tests/cli.rs
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ fn it_compresses_delimiters_when_requested_and_handles_boundaries() {
     assert.success().stdout("-foo-bar-\n");
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "regex")]
 #[test]
 fn it_cuts_on_characters() {
     let mut cmd = Command::cargo_bin(env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME")).unwrap();
@@ -404,6 +405,7 @@ fn it_emit_output_as_json() {
     );
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "regex")]
 #[test]
 fn it_emit_output_as_json_even_when_cutting_on_chars() {
     let mut cmd = Command::cargo_bin(env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME")).unwrap();
@@ -441,6 +443,18 @@ fn it_is_not_allowed_to_use_character_with_nojoin() {
     );
 }
 
+#[cfg(not(feature = "regex"))]
+#[test]
+fn it_cannot_use_characters_without_regex() {
+    let mut cmd = Command::cargo_bin(env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME")).unwrap();
+
+    let assert = cmd.args(["-c", "1"]).assert();
+
+    assert.failure().stderr(
+        "tuc: runtime error. The use of --characters requires `tuc` to be compiled with `regex` support\n",
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn it_does_not_support_json_on_lines() {
     let mut cmd = Command::cargo_bin(env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME")).unwrap();