diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index a37fa5811..034a2230f 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -110,22 +110,16 @@ $(RM) /usr/local/bin/$(prog)
 
 endef # UNAVAIL_recipe
 
-define AVAIL_check_prog
-
-@if [ ! -e ../bin/$(prog) ]; then \
-    echo "failed to locate $(prog), please run make first"; \
-    false; \
-fi
-
-endef # AVAIL_check_prog
-
 install:
 	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
 	$(INSTALL) ../bin/* $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
 
 avail:
-	$(foreach prog,$(PROGS),$(AVAIL_check_prog))
+ifneq ($(patsubst %,../bin/%,$(PROGS)),$(wildcard $(patsubst %,../bin/%,$(PROGS))))
+	$(error executables are missing, please run make first)
+else
 	$(foreach prog,$(PROGS),$(AVAIL_recipe))
+endif
 
 unavail:
 	$(foreach prog,$(PROGS),$(UNAVAIL_recipe))