diff --git a/autoconf/configure.ac b/autoconf/configure.ac
index d17b5e8485c..1c965c28911 100644
--- a/autoconf/configure.ac
+++ b/autoconf/configure.ac
@@ -299,19 +299,71 @@ dnl Check for libtool
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
 
 dnl Check for our special programs
-AC_PATH_PROG(RPWD,[pwd])
-AC_PATH_PROG(AR,[ar])
-AC_PATH_PROG(SED,[sed])
-AC_PATH_PROG(RM,[rm])
-AC_PATH_PROG(ECHO,[echo])
-AC_PATH_PROG(MKDIR,[mkdir])
-AC_PATH_PROG(DATE,[date])
-AC_PATH_PROG(MV,[mv])
-AC_PATH_PROG(DOT,[dot])
-AC_PATH_PROG(ETAGS,[etags])
-AC_PATH_PROG(PURIFY,[purify])
-AC_PATH_PROG(PYTHON,[python])
-AC_PATH_PROG(QMTEST,[qmtest])
+AC_PATH_PROG(RPWD,[pwd],[false])
+if test ${RPWD} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([pwd required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(AR,[ar],[false])
+if test ${AR} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([ar required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(SED,[sed],[false])
+if test ${SED} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([sed required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(RM,[rm],[false])
+if test ${RM} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([rm required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(ECHO,[echo],[false])
+if test ${ECHO} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([echo required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(MKDIR,[mkdir],[false])
+if test ${MKDIR} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([mkdir required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(DATE,[date],[false])
+if test ${DATE} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([date required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(MV,[mv],[false])
+if test ${MV} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([mv required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(DOT,[dot],[false])
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(ETAGS,[etags],[false])
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(PURIFY,[purify],[false])
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(PYTHON,[python],[false])
+if test ${PYTHON} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([python required but not found])
+fi
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(QMTEST,[qmtest],[false])
+if test ${QMTEST} = "false"
+then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([qmtest required but not found])
+fi
 
 dnl Verify that the version of python available is high enough for qmtest
 pyversion=`$PYTHON -V 2>&1 | cut -d\  -f2`
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 47c366d2f6d..41ef65633c3 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -18468,6 +18468,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_RPWD" && ac_cv_path_RPWD="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18481,6 +18482,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${RPWD} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: pwd required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: pwd required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "ar", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy ar; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18507,6 +18515,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_AR" && ac_cv_path_AR="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18520,6 +18529,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${AR} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: ar required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: ar required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "sed", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy sed; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18546,6 +18562,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_SED" && ac_cv_path_SED="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18559,6 +18576,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${SED} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: sed required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: sed required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "rm", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy rm; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18585,6 +18609,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_RM" && ac_cv_path_RM="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18598,6 +18623,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${RM} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: rm required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: rm required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "echo", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy echo; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18624,6 +18656,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_ECHO" && ac_cv_path_ECHO="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18637,6 +18670,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${ECHO} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: echo required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: echo required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "mkdir", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy mkdir; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18663,6 +18703,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_MKDIR" && ac_cv_path_MKDIR="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18676,6 +18717,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${MKDIR} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: mkdir required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: mkdir required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "date", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy date; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18702,6 +18750,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_DATE" && ac_cv_path_DATE="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18715,6 +18764,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${DATE} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: date required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: date required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "mv", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy mv; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18741,6 +18797,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_MV" && ac_cv_path_MV="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18754,6 +18811,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${MV} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: mv required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: mv required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "dot", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy dot; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18780,6 +18844,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_DOT" && ac_cv_path_DOT="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18793,6 +18858,7 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+
 # Extract the first word of "etags", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy etags; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18819,6 +18885,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_ETAGS" && ac_cv_path_ETAGS="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18832,6 +18899,7 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+
 # Extract the first word of "purify", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy purify; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18858,6 +18926,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_PURIFY" && ac_cv_path_PURIFY="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18871,6 +18940,7 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+
 # Extract the first word of "python", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy python; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18897,6 +18967,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_PYTHON" && ac_cv_path_PYTHON="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18910,6 +18981,13 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${PYTHON} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: python required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: python required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
+
 # Extract the first word of "qmtest", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy qmtest; ac_word=$2
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
@@ -18936,6 +19014,7 @@ do
 done
 done
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_QMTEST" && ac_cv_path_QMTEST="false"
   ;;
 esac
 fi
@@ -18949,6 +19028,12 @@ else
 echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
+if test ${QMTEST} = "false"
+then
+	{ { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: qmtest required but not found" >&5
+echo "$as_me: error: qmtest required but not found" >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+fi
 
 pyversion=`$PYTHON -V 2>&1 | cut -d\  -f2`
 pymajor=`echo $pyversion | cut -d. -f1`