diff --git a/ipa-core/src/lib.rs b/ipa-core/src/lib.rs
index 1ce693e01..345bbe0ae 100644
--- a/ipa-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ipa-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -344,6 +344,8 @@ macro_rules! mutually_incompatible {
 }
 
 mutually_incompatible!("in-memory-infra", "real-world-infra");
+#[cfg(not(any(compact_gate, descriptive_gate)))]
+compile_error!("At least one of `compact_gate` or `descriptive_gate` features must be enabled");
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
diff --git a/pre-commit b/pre-commit
index 9b1c5cb37..b5319ac91 100755
--- a/pre-commit
+++ b/pre-commit
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ then
       cargo test -p ipa-core --no-default-features --features "cli web-app real-world-infra test-fixture compact-gate"
 
   check "Web tests (descriptive gate)" \
-      cargo test -p ipa-core --no-default-features --features "cli web-app real-world-infra test-fixture"
+      cargo test -p ipa-core --no-default-features --features "cli web-app real-world-infra test-fixture descriptive-gate"
 
   check "Concurrency tests" \
       cargo test -p ipa-core --release --features "shuttle multi-threading"