diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -482,41 +482,23 @@
     fi
 fi
 
-# Enable C++ 17 if qt6 is requested
-if test "$want_qt6" = "yes"; then
+# Enable C++ 17 if cpp is requested
+LIST_MEMBER("cpp", $enabled_languages)
+if test "$found" = "1"; then
     AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX(17, noext, optional)
     if test "$HAVE_CXX17" != "1"; then
         if test "$explicit_languages" = "1"; then
             AC_MSG_ERROR([[
 ***
-*** A compiler with c++17 support is required for the Qt 6 binding.
-***]])
-        else
-            want_qt6="no"
-            AC_MSG_WARN([[
-***
-*** No c++17 support detected. Qt 6 binding will be disabled.
-***]])
-        fi
-    fi
-fi
-
-# Enable C++ 11 if cpp is requested (unless C++ 17 was already enabled)
-LIST_MEMBER("cpp", $enabled_languages)
-if test "$found" = "1" -a "$HAVE_CXX17" != "1"; then
-    AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX(11, noext, optional)
-    if test "$HAVE_CXX11" != "1"; then
-        if test "$explicit_languages" = "1"; then
-            AC_MSG_ERROR([[
-***
-*** A compiler with c++11 support is required for the C++ binding.
+*** A compiler with c++17 support is required for the C++ binding.
 ***]])
         else
             enabled_languages=$(echo $enabled_languages | sed 's/cpp//')
             want_qt5="no"
+            want_qt6="no"
             AC_MSG_WARN([[
 ***
-*** No c++11 support detected. C++ and Qt 5 bindings will be disabled.
+*** No c++17 support detected. C++ and Qt 5/6 bindings will be disabled.
 ***]])
         fi
     fi
diff --git a/lang/python/gpgme.i b/lang/python/gpgme.i
--- a/lang/python/gpgme.i
+++ b/lang/python/gpgme.i
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 /* no need to record whether GPGME's c++ bindings were built
    concurrently with the python bindings */
-%ignore HAVE_CXX11;
+%ignore HAVE_CXX17;
 
 %{
 /* We use public symbols (e.g. "_obsolete_class") which are marked as