diff --git a/daemon/core/misc/utils.py b/daemon/core/misc/utils.py
index 634a0425..52b18c45 100644
--- a/daemon/core/misc/utils.py
+++ b/daemon/core/misc/utils.py
@@ -15,11 +15,28 @@ import subprocess, os, ast
 
 def checkexec(execlist):
     for bin in execlist:
-        # note that os.access() uses real uid/gid; that should be okay
-        # here
-        if not os.access(bin, os.X_OK):
+        if which(bin) is None:
             raise EnvironmentError, "executable not found: %s" % bin
 
+def which(program):
+    ''' From: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/377017/test-if-executable-exists-in-python
+    '''
+    def is_exe(fpath):
+        return os.path.isfile(fpath) and os.access(fpath, os.X_OK)
+
+    fpath, fname = os.path.split(program)
+    if fpath:
+        if is_exe(program):
+            return program
+    else:
+        for path in os.environ["PATH"].split(os.pathsep):
+            path = path.strip('"')
+            exe_file = os.path.join(path, program)
+            if is_exe(exe_file):
+                return exe_file
+
+    return None
+
 def ensurepath(pathlist):
     searchpath = os.environ["PATH"].split(":")
     for p in set(pathlist):