diff --git a/sim/common/sim-config.h b/sim/common/sim-config.h
index aae08e71c58..88bdedf687d 100644
--- a/sim/common/sim-config.h
+++ b/sim/common/sim-config.h
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 #ifndef SIM_CONFIG_H
 #define SIM_CONFIG_H
 
+#ifdef SIM_COMMON_BUILD
+#error "This header is unusable in common builds due to reliance on SIM_AC_OPTION_BITSIZE"
+#endif
 
 /* Host dependant:
 
diff --git a/sim/common/sim-load.c b/sim/common/sim-load.c
index 3ea50e7fbcd..ec5df418d9d 100644
--- a/sim/common/sim-load.c
+++ b/sim/common/sim-load.c
@@ -27,12 +27,11 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <time.h>
 
-#include "sim-basics.h"
 #include "bfd.h"
-#include "sim-utils.h"
 
 #include "sim/callback.h"
 #include "sim/sim.h"
+#include "sim-utils.h"
 
 static void eprintf (host_callback *, const char *, ...);
 static void xprintf (host_callback *, const char *, ...);
diff --git a/sim/common/sim-types.h b/sim/common/sim-types.h
index 8e1c9ada920..5fd0a1dcff2 100644
--- a/sim/common/sim-types.h
+++ b/sim/common/sim-types.h
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
 #ifndef SIM_TYPES_H
 #define SIM_TYPES_H
 
+#ifdef SIM_COMMON_BUILD
+#error "This header is unusable in common builds due to reliance on SIM_AC_OPTION_BITSIZE"
+#endif
+
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 /* INTEGER QUANTITIES: