diff --git a/tests/features/S2N_MADVISE_SUPPORTED.c b/tests/features/S2N_MADVISE_SUPPORTED.c
index bdde35c050d..312f84627fa 100644
--- a/tests/features/S2N_MADVISE_SUPPORTED.c
+++ b/tests/features/S2N_MADVISE_SUPPORTED.c
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * permissions and limitations under the License.
  */
 
-#include "utils/s2n_fork_detection_internal.h"
+#include "utils/s2n_fork_detection_features.h"
 
 int main() {
     madvise(NULL, 0, 0);
diff --git a/tests/features/S2N_MINHERIT_SUPPORTED.c b/tests/features/S2N_MINHERIT_SUPPORTED.c
index 25a38253762..fc662367f36 100644
--- a/tests/features/S2N_MINHERIT_SUPPORTED.c
+++ b/tests/features/S2N_MINHERIT_SUPPORTED.c
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * permissions and limitations under the License.
  */
 
-#include "utils/s2n_fork_detection_internal.h"
+#include "utils/s2n_fork_detection_features.h"
 
 int main() {
     minherit(NULL, 0, 0);
diff --git a/tests/unit/s2n_build_test.c b/tests/unit/s2n_build_test.c
index e7f40949d15..0c8055bc3bb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/s2n_build_test.c
+++ b/tests/unit/s2n_build_test.c
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@
 * express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing
 * permissions and limitations under the License.
 */
+
+#ifndef _S2N_PRELUDE_INCLUDED
+/* make sure s2n_prelude.h is includes as part of the compiler flags, if not then fail the build */
+#error "Expected s2n_prelude.h to be included as part of the compiler flags"
+#endif
+
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <openssl/crypto.h>
diff --git a/tls/s2n_config.c b/tls/s2n_config.c
index 4db579dd465..2a23c7617b9 100644
--- a/tls/s2n_config.c
+++ b/tls/s2n_config.c
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@
  * permissions and limitations under the License.
  */
 
+#ifndef _S2N_PRELUDE_INCLUDED
+/* make sure s2n_prelude.h is includes as part of the compiler flags, if not then fail the build */
+#error "Expected s2n_prelude.h to be included as part of the compiler flags"
+#endif
+
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <time.h>
 
diff --git a/utils/s2n_fork_detection.c b/utils/s2n_fork_detection.c
index 6de67c1ee50..92d82cac604 100644
--- a/utils/s2n_fork_detection.c
+++ b/utils/s2n_fork_detection.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 /* force the internal header to be included first, since it modifies _GNU_SOURCE/_POSIX_C_SOURCE */
 /* clang-format off */
-#include "utils/s2n_fork_detection_internal.h"
+#include "utils/s2n_fork_detection_features.h"
 /* clang-format on */
 
 #include "utils/s2n_fork_detection.h"
diff --git a/utils/s2n_fork_detection_internal.h b/utils/s2n_fork_detection_features.h
similarity index 100%
rename from utils/s2n_fork_detection_internal.h
rename to utils/s2n_fork_detection_features.h
diff --git a/utils/s2n_prelude.h b/utils/s2n_prelude.h
index cbb820c44b5..364cc82ca87 100644
--- a/utils/s2n_prelude.h
+++ b/utils/s2n_prelude.h
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+/* Let modules know that the prelude was included */
+#define _S2N_PRELUDE_INCLUDED
+
 /* Define the POSIX API we are targeting */
 #ifndef _POSIX_C_SOURCE
     #define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200809L