diff --git a/wutils.py b/wutils.py
index 094c82322..9a6c9187c 100644
--- a/wutils.py
+++ b/wutils.py
@@ -136,7 +136,15 @@ def run_argv(argv, env, os_env=None, cwd=None, force_no_valgrind=False):
         if retval == 0 and error:
             retval = 1
     else:
-        retval = subprocess.Popen(argv, env=proc_env, cwd=cwd).wait()
+        try:
+            WindowsError
+        except NameError:
+            retval = subprocess.Popen(argv, env=proc_env, cwd=cwd).wait()
+        else:
+            try:
+                retval = subprocess.Popen(argv, env=proc_env, cwd=cwd).wait()
+            except WindowsError, ex:
+                raise Utils.WafError("Command %s raised exception %s" % (argv, ex))
     if retval:
         raise Utils.WafError("Command %s exited with code %i" % (argv, retval))
     return retval