diff --git a/actions/run_action.go b/actions/run_action.go
index c70ebfbd..987615cf 100644
--- a/actions/run_action.go
+++ b/actions/run_action.go
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ package actions
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"github.com/go-debos/fakemachine"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -68,6 +70,22 @@ func (run *RunAction) Verify(context *debos.DebosContext) error {
 	if run.Script == "" && run.Command == "" {
 		return errors.New("Script and Command both cannot be empty")
 	}
+
+	if run.Script != "" {
+		argv := strings.SplitN(run.Script, " ", 2)
+		script := debos.CleanPathAt(argv[0], context.RecipeDir)
+
+		stat, err := os.Stat(script)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		/* check the script is executable */
+		if stat.IsDir() || stat.Mode()&0111 == 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Script %s is not executable", script)
+		}
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }