diff --git a/pyringe/inferior.py b/pyringe/inferior.py
index 3efc37a..841d7d5 100644
--- a/pyringe/inferior.py
+++ b/pyringe/inferior.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
 import time
+import distutils.spawn
 
 
 # Setting these overrides the defaults. See _SymbolFilePath.
@@ -151,7 +152,8 @@ def __init__(self, args=None, arch='i386:x86-64'):
     self._outfile_r = open(outfile_w.name)
     self._errfile_r = open(errfile_w.name)
 
-    self._process = subprocess.Popen(
+    if self.is_installed:
+      self._process = subprocess.Popen(
         bufsize=0,
         args=arglist,
         stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
@@ -159,15 +161,15 @@ def __init__(self, args=None, arch='i386:x86-64'):
         stderr=errfile_w.file,
         close_fds=True,
         preexec_fn=os.setpgrp,
-        )
-    outfile_w.close()
-    errfile_w.close()
+      )
+      outfile_w.close()
+      errfile_w.close()
 
-    self._poller = select.poll()
-    self._poller.register(self._outfile_r.fileno(),
-                          select.POLLIN | select.POLLPRI)
-    self._poller.register(self._errfile_r.fileno(),
-                          select.POLLIN | select.POLLPRI)
+      self._poller = select.poll()
+      self._poller.register(self._outfile_r.fileno(),
+                            select.POLLIN | select.POLLPRI)
+      self._poller.register(self._errfile_r.fileno(),
+                            select.POLLIN | select.POLLPRI)
 
   def __getattr__(self, name):
     """Handles transparent proxying to gdb subprocess.
@@ -202,6 +204,15 @@ def Kill(self):
     self._errfile_r.close()
     self._outfile_r.close()
 
+  @property
+  def is_installed(self):
+    """ Check if gdb is installed """
+    gdb_path = distutils.spawn.find_executable("gdb")
+    if not gdb_path:
+      raise OSError("I can not find gdb")
+    else:
+      return True
+
   @property
   def is_running(self):
     return self._process.poll() is None