diff --git a/codepy/toolchain.py b/codepy/toolchain.py
index 5e72433438ff6c64771397c04b0bbda181d5fe6b..82303d6b4ccd1b60b41f2d2c6df24ecf05ee0ac4 100644
--- a/codepy/toolchain.py
+++ b/codepy/toolchain.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 
 from codepy import CompileError
 from pytools import Record
+from pytools.prefork import ExecError
 
 
 class Toolchain(Record):
@@ -437,7 +438,11 @@ def guess_toolchain():
     Raise :exc:`ToolchainGuessError` if no toolchain could be found.
     """
     kwargs = _guess_toolchain_kwargs_from_python_config()
-    result, version, stderr = call_capture_output([kwargs["cc"], "--version"])
+    try:
+        result, version, stderr = call_capture_output([kwargs["cc"], "--version"])
+    except ExecError:
+        raise ToolchainGuessError("System compiler {} not found".format(
+            kwargs['cc']))
     if result != 0:
         raise ToolchainGuessError("compiler version query failed: "+stderr)
 
@@ -471,8 +476,6 @@ def guess_toolchain():
         raise ToolchainGuessError("unknown compiler")
 
 
-
-
 def guess_nvcc_toolchain():
     gcc_kwargs = _guess_toolchain_kwargs_from_python_config()