--- a/setup.py	Wed Jul 13 00:07:20 2016 +0200
+++ b/setup.py	Wed Jul 13 22:43:05 2016 +0200
@@ -155,8 +155,12 @@
         install.run(self)
         sys.stdout.write('running post installation stuff\n')
         sys.stdout.flush()
-        build_result = self.pyjs_build()  # build after libervia.common is accessible
-        if build_result == 127:  # TODO: remove magic string
+        try:
+            build_result = self.pyjs_build()  # build after libervia.common is accessible
+        except OSError as e:
+            print "can't run pyjsbuild, are you sure pyjamas is installed?\nexception: {}".format(e)
+            return
+        if build_result == 127:  # TODO: remove magic string  # FIXME: seems useless as an OSError is raised if pyjsbuild is not accessible
             print "pyjsbuild is not installed or not accessible from the PATH of user '%s'" % os.getenv('USERNAME')
             return
         if build_result != 0: