diff --git a/src/posix/console_cli.cpp b/src/posix/console_cli.cpp
index ef3c6fa2a..735e983d4 100644
--- a/src/posix/console_cli.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/console_cli.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 
 #include "console_cli.h"
 
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_TRANSPORT == OT_CLI_TRANSPORT_CONSOLE
+
 #include <openthread/config.h>
 
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -129,3 +131,5 @@ void otxConsoleProcess(const otSysMainloopContext *aMainloop)
 }
 
 #endif // HAVE_LIBEDIT || HAVE_LIBREADLINE
+
+#endif // OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_TRANSPORT == OT_CLI_TRANSPORT_CONSOLE
diff --git a/src/posix/console_cli.h b/src/posix/console_cli.h
index 2728e18e7..16682d508 100644
--- a/src/posix/console_cli.h
+++ b/src/posix/console_cli.h
@@ -35,6 +35,24 @@
 
 #include <openthread/openthread-system.h>
 
+#include "cli/cli_config.h"
+
+#ifndef HAVE_LIBEDIT
+#define HAVE_LIBEDIT 0
+#endif
+
+#ifndef HAVE_LIBREADLINE
+#define HAVE_LIBREADLINE 0
+#endif
+
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_TRANSPORT == OT_CLI_TRANSPORT_CONSOLE
+#define OPENTHREAD_USE_CONSOLE 1
+#if !(HAVE_LIBEDIT || HAVE_LIBREADLINE) || OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_DAEMON_ENABLE
+#error \
+    "When OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_TRANSPORT=OT_CLI_TRANSPORT_CONSOLE, HAVE_LIBEDIT or HAVE_LIBREADLINE MUST be defined and OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_DAEMON_ENABLE MUST be 0"
+#endif
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
diff --git a/src/posix/main.c b/src/posix/main.c
index baefa15f7..4614d6f3c 100644
--- a/src/posix/main.c
+++ b/src/posix/main.c
@@ -66,12 +66,8 @@
 #elif OPENTHREAD_POSIX_APP_TYPE == OT_POSIX_APP_TYPE_CLI
 #include <openthread/cli.h>
 
-#include "cli/cli_config.h"
-#if (HAVE_LIBEDIT || HAVE_LIBREADLINE) && !OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_DAEMON_ENABLE && \
-    (OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_TRANSPORT == OT_CLI_TRANSPORT_CONSOLE)
-#define OPENTHREAD_USE_CONSOLE 1
 #include "console_cli.h"
-#endif
+#include "cli/cli_config.h"
 #else
 #error "Unknown posix app type!"
 #endif