diff --git a/run_tests.py b/run_tests.py
index ea53b432..06ba2c5f 100755
--- a/run_tests.py
+++ b/run_tests.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from optparse import OptionParser
 import multiprocessing
 from ctypes import c_int
 import os
+import os.path
 import sys
 import glob
 import re
@@ -88,6 +89,20 @@ if options.compiler_exe == None:
     else:
         options.compiler_exe = "g++"
 
+# checks the required compiler otherwise prints an error message
+PATH_dir = string.split(os.getenv("PATH"), os.pathsep) 
+compiler_exists = False
+
+for counter in PATH_dir:
+	if os.path.exists(counter + os.sep + options.compiler_exe):
+		compiler_exists = True
+		break
+
+if not compiler_exists:
+	sys.stderr.write("Fatal error: missing the required compiler: %s \n" % 
+		options.compiler_exe)
+	sys.exit()
+
 def fix_windows_paths(files):
     ret = [ ]
     for fn in files: