diff --git a/lib/runner.js b/lib/runner.js
index c00888cb0..394950e8f 100644
--- a/lib/runner.js
+++ b/lib/runner.js
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 var EventEmitter = require('events').EventEmitter,
 
     q = require('q'),
+    exec = q.denodeify(require('child_process').exec),
     inherit = require('inherit'),
     promiseUtils = require('./promise-util'),
+    GeminiError = require('./gemini-error'),
 
     BrowserLauncher = require('./browser/launcher');
 
@@ -16,8 +18,11 @@ module.exports = inherit(EventEmitter, {
 
     runPlans: function(plans) {
         var _this = this;
-        this.emit('begin');
-        return q(this._prepare())
+        return this._checkGM()
+            .then(function() {
+                _this.emit('begin');
+                return q(_this._prepare());
+            })
             .then(function() {
                 return promiseUtils.seqMap(plans, _this.runPlan.bind(_this));
             })
@@ -29,6 +34,20 @@ module.exports = inherit(EventEmitter, {
     _prepare: function() {
     },
 
+    _checkGM: function() {
+        return exec('gm -version')
+            .then(function() {
+                return true;
+            })
+            .fail(function() {
+                return q.reject(new GeminiError(
+                    'Unable to find required package: GraphicsMagick',
+                    'Make sure that GraphicsMagick is installed and availiable in your PATH.\n' +
+                    'Additonal info and installation instructions:\nhttp://www.graphicsmagick.org/'
+                ));
+            });
+    },
+
     runPlan: function(plan) {
         var _this = this,
             chains = plan.getChains();