diff --git a/bin/pt-ioprofile b/bin/pt-ioprofile
index b4c78de9..785e7dfb 100755
--- a/bin/pt-ioprofile
+++ b/bin/pt-ioprofile
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ _d () {
 
 
 
+
 set -u
 
 ARGV=""           # Non-option args (probably input files)
@@ -96,6 +97,11 @@ usage_or_errors() {
       return 1
    fi
 
+   if [ -z $(_which perl) ]; then
+      echo "Perl binary required to run this tool"
+      return 1
+   fi
+
    if [ "$OPT_HELP" ]; then
       usage "$file"
       echo
diff --git a/bin/pt-mext b/bin/pt-mext
index ad1c7ee7..df068aab 100755
--- a/bin/pt-mext
+++ b/bin/pt-mext
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ rm_tmpdir() {
 
 
 
+
 set -u
 
 ARGV=""           # Non-option args (probably input files)
@@ -137,6 +138,11 @@ usage_or_errors() {
       return 1
    fi
 
+   if [ -z $(_which perl) ]; then
+      echo "Perl binary required to run this tool"
+      return 1
+   fi
+
    if [ "$OPT_HELP" ]; then
       usage "$file"
       echo
diff --git a/bin/pt-mysql-summary b/bin/pt-mysql-summary
index f6d7480e..681b153f 100755
--- a/bin/pt-mysql-summary
+++ b/bin/pt-mysql-summary
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ _d () {
 
 
 
+
 set -u
 
 ARGV=""           # Non-option args (probably input files)
@@ -98,6 +99,11 @@ usage_or_errors() {
       return 1
    fi
 
+   if [ -z $(_which perl) ]; then
+      echo "Perl binary required to run this tool"
+      return 1
+   fi
+
    if [ "$OPT_HELP" ]; then
       usage "$file"
       echo
diff --git a/bin/pt-pmp b/bin/pt-pmp
index 0639961d..0aacb473 100755
--- a/bin/pt-pmp
+++ b/bin/pt-pmp
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ rm_tmpdir() {
 
 
 
+
 set -u
 
 ARGV=""           # Non-option args (probably input files)
@@ -139,6 +140,11 @@ usage_or_errors() {
       return 1
    fi
 
+   if [ -z $(_which perl) ]; then
+      echo "Perl binary required to run this tool"
+      return 1
+   fi
+
    if [ "$OPT_HELP" ]; then
       usage "$file"
       echo
diff --git a/bin/pt-sift b/bin/pt-sift
index c31b36d5..bbf077cf 100755
--- a/bin/pt-sift
+++ b/bin/pt-sift
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ rm_tmpdir() {
 
 
 
+
 set -u
 
 ARGV=""           # Non-option args (probably input files)
@@ -137,6 +138,11 @@ usage_or_errors() {
       return 1
    fi
 
+   if [ -z $(_which perl) ]; then
+      echo "Perl binary required to run this tool"
+      return 1
+   fi
+
    if [ "$OPT_HELP" ]; then
       usage "$file"
       echo
diff --git a/bin/pt-stalk b/bin/pt-stalk
index c2085e02..9f8d86a6 100755
--- a/bin/pt-stalk
+++ b/bin/pt-stalk
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ kill_all_subshells() {
 
 
 
+
 set -u
 
 ARGV=""           # Non-option args (probably input files)
@@ -150,6 +151,11 @@ usage_or_errors() {
       return 1
    fi
 
+   if [ -z $(_which perl) ]; then
+      echo "Perl binary required to run this tool"
+      return 1
+   fi
+
    if [ "$OPT_HELP" ]; then
       usage "$file"
       echo
diff --git a/bin/pt-summary b/bin/pt-summary
index bcbdb07b..cf000117 100755
--- a/bin/pt-summary
+++ b/bin/pt-summary
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ _d () {
 
 
 
+
 set -u
 
 ARGV=""           # Non-option args (probably input files)
@@ -105,6 +106,11 @@ usage_or_errors() {
       return 1
    fi
 
+   if [ -z $(_which perl) ]; then
+      echo "Perl binary required to run this tool"
+      return 1
+   fi
+
    if [ "$OPT_HELP" ]; then
       usage "$file"
       echo
diff --git a/lib/bash/parse_options.sh b/lib/bash/parse_options.sh
index 23501d2f..97fe0c4e 100644
--- a/lib/bash/parse_options.sh
+++ b/lib/bash/parse_options.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@
 # GLOBAL $PT_TMPDIR AND $TOOL MUST BE SET BEFORE USING THIS LIB!
 # XXX
 
+# XXX
+# THIS LIB REQUIRES alt_cmds!
+# XXX
+
 # Parsing command line options with Bash is easy until we have to dealt
 # with values that have spaces, e.g. --option="hello world".  This is
 # further complicated by command line vs. config file.  From the command
@@ -87,6 +91,11 @@ usage_or_errors() {
       return 1
    fi
 
+   if [ -z $(_which perl) ]; then
+      echo "Perl binary required to run this tool"
+      return 1
+   fi
+
    if [ "$OPT_HELP" ]; then
       usage "$file"
       echo
diff --git a/t/lib/bash/parse_options.sh b/t/lib/bash/parse_options.sh
index 4beba5a0..eefda815 100644
--- a/t/lib/bash/parse_options.sh
+++ b/t/lib/bash/parse_options.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ TOOL="pt-stalk"
 PT_TMPDIR="$TEST_PT_TMPDIR"
 
 source "$LIB_DIR/log_warn_die.sh"
+source "$LIB_DIR/alt_cmds.sh"
 source "$LIB_DIR/parse_options.sh"
 
 # ############################################################################