diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a7a858123..d51422fac 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ clean:
 	rm -f oci-runtime-tool runtimetest *.1 $(VALIDATION_TESTS)
 
 localvalidation:
+	for EXECUTABLE in runtimetest $(VALIDATION_TESTS); \
+	do \
+		test -x "$${EXECUTABLE}"; \
+	done || (echo "missing test executable; run 'make runtimetest validation-executables'" >&2 && exit 1)
 	RUNTIME=$(RUNTIME) $(TAP) $(VALIDATION_TESTS)
 
 .PHONY: validation-executables