diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index da76ccdac..9169f08a2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -163,7 +163,8 @@ develop:
 # Then start installing our deps so they can be cached. Note that use of --build-options / --global-options / --install-options
 # disables the cache.
 # We need wheel>=0.26 on Python 3.5. See previous revisions.
-	${PIP} install -vv -U -r dev-requirements.txt
+	${PIP} install -v -U -r dev-requirements.txt
+	cat deps/c-ares/ares_build.h
 
 lint-py27: $(PY27)
 	PYTHON=python2.7.13 PATH=$(BUILD_RUNTIMES)/versions/python2.7.13/bin:$(PATH) make develop travis_test_linters
diff --git a/_setupares.py b/_setupares.py
index ef768cb50..73f8cca64 100644
--- a/_setupares.py
+++ b/_setupares.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 from _setuputils import DEFINE_MACROS
 from _setuputils import glob_many
 from _setuputils import dep_abspath
+from _setuputils import RUNNING_ON_TRAVIS
 
 
 CARES_EMBED = should_embed('c-ares')
@@ -83,7 +84,8 @@ def configure_ares(bext, ext):
                  define_macros=list(DEFINE_MACROS),
                  depends=glob_many('src/gevent/dnshelper.c',
                                    'src/gevent/cares_*.[ch]'))
-ARES.optional = True
+
+ARES.optional = not RUNNING_ON_TRAVIS
 
 
 if CARES_EMBED:
diff --git a/_setuputils.py b/_setuputils.py
index f3c897d16..6f8355da0 100644
--- a/_setuputils.py
+++ b/_setuputils.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 PYPY = hasattr(sys, 'pypy_version_info')
 WIN = sys.platform.startswith('win')
 CFFI_WIN_BUILD_ANYWAY = os.environ.get("PYPY_WIN_BUILD_ANYWAY")
+RUNNING_ON_TRAVIS = os.environ.get('TRAVIS')
 
 LIBRARIES = []
 DEFINE_MACROS = []
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 847af3393..b5dc060f0 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ def run_setup(ext_modules, run_make):
 try:
     run_setup(EXT_MODULES, run_make=_BUILDING)
 except BuildFailed:
-    if ARES not in EXT_MODULES:
+    if ARES not in EXT_MODULES or not ARES.optional:
         raise
     EXT_MODULES.remove(ARES)
     run_setup(EXT_MODULES, run_make=_BUILDING)