diff --git a/pyethapp/rpc_client.py b/pyethapp/rpc_client.py
index f7fb41e8..2207b260 100644
--- a/pyethapp/rpc_client.py
+++ b/pyethapp/rpc_client.py
@@ -242,7 +242,14 @@ def deploy_solidity_contract(self, sender, contract_name, all_contracts,  # pyli
                 receipt = self.call('eth_getTransactionReceipt', '0x' + transaction_hash)
 
                 contract_address = receipt['contractAddress']
-                libraries[deploy_contract] = contract_address[2:]  # remove the hexadecimal prefix 0x from the address
+                contract_address = contract_address[2:]  # remove the hexadecimal prefix 0x from the address
+
+                libraries[deploy_contract] = contract_address
+
+                deployed_code = self.call('eth_getCode', contract_address, 'latest')
+
+                if deployed_code == '0x':
+                    raise RuntimeError("Contract address has no code, check gas usage.")
 
             hex_bytecode = solidity_resolve_symbols(contract['bin_hex'], libraries)
             bytecode = hex_bytecode.decode('hex')
@@ -268,6 +275,13 @@ def deploy_solidity_contract(self, sender, contract_name, all_contracts,  # pyli
         receipt = self.call('eth_getTransactionReceipt', '0x' + transaction_hash)
         contract_address = receipt['contractAddress']
 
+        deployed_code = self.call('eth_getCode', contract_address, 'latest')
+
+        if deployed_code == '0x':
+            raise RuntimeError("Deployment of {} failed. Contract address has no code, check gas usage.".format(
+                contract_name
+            ))
+
         return ContractProxy(
             sender,
             contract_interface,