diff --git a/dist-build/msys2-win32.sh b/dist-build/msys2-win32.sh
index 816cfed0..15fe37bc 100755
--- a/dist-build/msys2-win32.sh
+++ b/dist-build/msys2-win32.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 export CFLAGS="-Ofast -fomit-frame-pointer -m32 -march=pentium3 -mtune=westmere"
 export PREFIX="$(pwd)/libsodium-win32"
 
+if (i686-w64-mingw32-gcc --version > /dev/null 2>&1) then
+  echo MinGW found
+else
+  echo Please install mingw-w64-i686-gcc >&2
+  exit
+fi
+
 make distclean > /dev/null
 
 ./configure --prefix="$PREFIX" --exec-prefix="$PREFIX" \
diff --git a/dist-build/msys2-win64.sh b/dist-build/msys2-win64.sh
index fc8494e6..ab9a2c3e 100755
--- a/dist-build/msys2-win64.sh
+++ b/dist-build/msys2-win64.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 export CFLAGS="-Ofast -fomit-frame-pointer -m64 -mtune=westmere"
 export PREFIX="$(pwd)/libsodium-win64"
 
+if (x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc --version > /dev/null 2>&1) then
+  echo MinGW found
+else
+  echo Please install mingw-w64-x86_64-gcc >&2
+  exit
+fi
+
 make distclean > /dev/null
 
 ./configure --prefix="$PREFIX" --exec-prefix="$PREFIX" \