diff --git a/common_features.mk b/common_features.mk
index 09d01debd3..6c3646db94 100644
--- a/common_features.mk
+++ b/common_features.mk
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(strip $(STENO_ENABLE)), yes)
     OPT_DEFS += -DSTENO_ENABLE
-    VIRTSER_ENABLE := yes
+    VIRTSER_ENABLE ?= yes
     SRC += $(QUANTUM_DIR)/process_keycode/process_steno.c
 endif
 
diff --git a/quantum/process_keycode/process_steno.c b/quantum/process_keycode/process_steno.c
index e0b33ec861..57e279f211 100644
--- a/quantum/process_keycode/process_steno.c
+++ b/quantum/process_keycode/process_steno.c
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ static void steno_clear_state(void) {
 static void send_steno_state(uint8_t size, bool send_empty) {
     for (uint8_t i = 0; i < size; ++i) {
         if (chord[i] || send_empty) {
+#ifdef VIRTSER_ENABLE
             virtser_send(chord[i]);
+#endif
         }
     }
 }
@@ -105,7 +107,9 @@ static void send_steno_chord(void) {
         switch (mode) {
             case STENO_MODE_BOLT:
                 send_steno_state(BOLT_STATE_SIZE, false);
+#ifdef VIRTSER_ENABLE
                 virtser_send(0);  // terminating byte
+#endif
                 break;
             case STENO_MODE_GEMINI:
                 chord[0] |= 0x80;  // Indicate start of packet
diff --git a/quantum/process_keycode/process_steno.h b/quantum/process_keycode/process_steno.h
index 3675423728..ed049eb13f 100644
--- a/quantum/process_keycode/process_steno.h
+++ b/quantum/process_keycode/process_steno.h
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@
 
 #include "quantum.h"
 
-#if defined(STENO_ENABLE) && !defined(VIRTSER_ENABLE)
-#    error "must have virtser enabled to use steno"
-#endif
-
 typedef enum { STENO_MODE_BOLT, STENO_MODE_GEMINI } steno_mode_t;
 
 bool     process_steno(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record);