diff --git a/run_wml_tests b/run_wml_tests
index e24247528ba..8b6094c04eb 100755
--- a/run_wml_tests
+++ b/run_wml_tests
@@ -274,6 +274,19 @@ shift $(($OPTIND - 1))
 
 extra_opts+="$*"
 
+# Make sure the binary exists
+if [ "$DebugMode" -eq 1 ]; then
+  if [ "! ( -f $BinPath/wesnoth-debug -a -x $BinPath/wesnoth-debug )" ]; then
+    echo "Wesnoth binary not found at $BinPath/wesnoth-debug"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+else
+  if [ "! ( -f $BinPath/wesnoth -a -x $BinPath/wesnoth )" ]; then
+    echo "Wesnoth binary not found at $BinPath/wesnoth"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
 if [ "$Verbose" -ge 2 ]; then
   if [ "${#extra_opts}" -ge 0 ]; then
     echo "Found additional arguments to wesnoth: " "$extra_opts"