diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractprocessstep.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractprocessstep.cpp
index 01ce341880e..bc2c499c236 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractprocessstep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractprocessstep.cpp
@@ -188,6 +188,14 @@ void AbstractProcessStep::run(QFutureInterface<bool> &fi)
     if (!wd.exists())
         wd.mkpath(wd.absolutePath());
 
+    QString effectiveCommand = m_param.effectiveCommand();
+    if (!QFileInfo(effectiveCommand).exists()) {
+        processStartupFailed();
+        fi.reportResult(false);
+        emit finished();
+        return;
+    }
+
     m_process = new Utils::QtcProcess();
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
     m_process->setUseCtrlCStub(true);
@@ -203,7 +211,7 @@ void AbstractProcessStep::run(QFutureInterface<bool> &fi)
     connect(m_process, SIGNAL(finished(int,QProcess::ExitStatus)),
             this, SLOT(slotProcessFinished(int,QProcess::ExitStatus)));
 
-    m_process->setCommand(m_param.effectiveCommand(), m_param.effectiveArguments());
+    m_process->setCommand(effectiveCommand, m_param.effectiveArguments());
     m_process->start();
     if (!m_process->waitForStarted()) {
         processStartupFailed();