diff --git a/regression/goto-gcc/run_diagnostic/main.i b/regression/goto-gcc/run_diagnostic/main.i
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f8b643afbf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/regression/goto-gcc/run_diagnostic/main.i
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+int main()
+{
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/regression/goto-gcc/run_diagnostic/test.desc b/regression/goto-gcc/run_diagnostic/test.desc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e3a632f65f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/regression/goto-gcc/run_diagnostic/test.desc
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+CORE
+main.i
+--native-compiler /no/such/tool
+^EXIT=1$
+^SIGNAL=0$
+^execvp /no/such/tool failed: No such file or directory$
+--
+^Remove failed
+^warning: ignoring
+^CONVERSION ERROR$
diff --git a/src/util/run.cpp b/src/util/run.cpp
index f106309002e..d0fddab27fd 100644
--- a/src/util/run.cpp
+++ b/src/util/run.cpp
@@ -127,10 +127,13 @@ int run(
         dup2(stdin_fd, STDIN_FILENO);
       if(stdout_fd!=STDOUT_FILENO)
         dup2(stdout_fd, STDOUT_FILENO);
+
+      errno=0;
       execvp(what.c_str(), _argv.data());
 
       /* usually no return */
-      return 1;
+      perror(std::string("execvp "+what+" failed").c_str());
+      exit(1);
     }
     else /* fork() returns new pid to the parent process */
     {