diff --git a/view.sh b/view.sh
index 519956cdc6..96b924c3db 100755
--- a/view.sh
+++ b/view.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@
 for i in `ls build/dist/poi-*.jar | grep -v -- "-sources" | grep -v -- "-examples" | grep -v -- "-excelant" | grep -v -- "-ooxml" | grep -v -- "-scratchpad"`;do
 	CP=$i
 done
+
+if [ "$CP" = "" ]
+then
+	echo Did not find jar files in directory build/dist, please run target "jar"
+	exit 1
+fi
+
 echo Using jar $CP
 
 java -cp $CP org.apache.poi.hssf.dev.BiffViewer --escher "$@"