diff --git a/test/aswm/test_aswm.c b/test/aswm/test_aswm.c
index db3c2c7..d8cc434 100644
--- a/test/aswm/test_aswm.c
+++ b/test/aswm/test_aswm.c
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ clock_t USER_DELAY = 1 * CLOCKS_PER_SEC;
 
 void run_aswm(void) {
 	int stat_loc;
-	// Ensures aswm is running
+	// A return value of 0 indicates that the status of aswm_pid is not yet
+	// available, i.e. aswm is running
 	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_INT(0, waitpid(aswm_pid, &stat_loc, WNOHANG));
 }
 
@@ -139,9 +140,11 @@ void create_multiple_resizeable_top_level_window(void) {
 int main(void) {
     UNITY_BEGIN();
 	set_up_test_logger();
-	RUN_TEST(run_aswm);
-	RUN_TEST(create_single_resizeable_top_level_window);
-	RUN_TEST(create_multiple_resizeable_top_level_window);
+	if(check_xephyr_available()) {
+		RUN_TEST(run_aswm);
+		RUN_TEST(create_single_resizeable_top_level_window);
+		RUN_TEST(create_multiple_resizeable_top_level_window);
+	}
 	tear_down_test_logger();
     return UNITY_END();
 }
diff --git a/test/test_set_up.c b/test/test_set_up.c
index 6ece3f2..1dfcf44 100644
--- a/test/test_set_up.c
+++ b/test/test_set_up.c
@@ -44,7 +44,23 @@ void tear_down_test_logger(void) {
 	zlog_fini();
 }
 
+bool check_xephyr_available() {
+	xephyr_pid = fork();
+	if(xephyr_pid == 0) {
+		char* args[] = {"which", "Xephyr", NULL};
+		execvp(args[0], args);
+	}
+	int stat_loc;
+	waitpid(xephyr_pid, &stat_loc, 0);
+	if(stat_loc != 0) {
+		zlog_error(test_log, "Xephyr executable not found. Make sure it is installed and available in your PATH.");
+		return false;
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
 void setUp(void) {
+
 	tmpnam(display_fd); // Creates a temporary file name
 	sprintf(display_name, ":%u", display_count); // Loads initial display count
 												 // in display name
diff --git a/test/test_set_up.h b/test/test_set_up.h
index 53a95ca..53cbbe5 100644
--- a/test/test_set_up.h
+++ b/test/test_set_up.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ extern Display* test_display;
 extern Window test_root;
 extern zlog_category_t *test_log;
 
+bool check_xephyr_available();
 void set_up_test_logger();
 void tear_down_test_logger();