diff --git a/racket/src/cfg-racket b/racket/src/cfg-racket
index 8ff7d1e52f..fb875a897a 100755
--- a/racket/src/cfg-racket
+++ b/racket/src/cfg-racket
@@ -3337,9 +3337,14 @@ fi
 
 if test "${enable_racket}" != "" ; then
   if test "${enable_racket}" = "auto" ; then
-     echo "=== Creating and using local Racket executable"
+    echo "=== Creating and using local Racket executable"
   else
-     echo "=== Using Racket executable ${enable_racket}"
+    if test ! -f "${enable_racket}"; then
+      echo "cannot find racket executable in ${enable_racket}"
+      exit 1
+    else
+      echo "=== Using Racket executable ${enable_racket}"
+    fi
   fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/configure.ac b/racket/src/racket/configure.ac
index eec4e369f0..6d24ce52dc 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/configure.ac
+++ b/racket/src/racket/configure.ac
@@ -237,9 +237,14 @@ m4_include(../ac/sdk_show.m4)
 
 if test "${enable_racket}" != "" ; then
   if test "${enable_racket}" = "auto" ; then
-     echo "=== Creating and using local Racket executable"
+    echo "=== Creating and using local Racket executable"
   else
-     echo "=== Using Racket executable ${enable_racket}"
+    if test ! -f "${enable_racket}"; then
+      echo "cannot find racket executable in ${enable_racket}"
+      exit 1
+    else
+      echo "=== Using Racket executable ${enable_racket}"
+    fi	
   fi 
 fi