diff --git a/check-dependencies.py b/check-dependencies.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3103797
--- /dev/null
+++ b/check-dependencies.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""Script to verify required/optional dependencies are installed."""
+
+import sys
+errors = 0
+
+try:
+    import BeautifulSoup
+except ImportError:
+    print "Could not import BeautifulSoup. This is a required module for Binder.\n"
+    errors += 1
+
+try:
+    import django
+except ImportError:
+    print "Could not import Django. This is a required package for Binder.\n"
+    errors += 1
+
+try:
+    import dns
+except ImportError:
+    print "Could not import dns. This is a required module for Binder."
+    print "Package is typically called 'python-dnspython.'\n"
+    errors += 1
+
+try:
+    import flup
+except ImportError:
+    print "Could not import flup. This is an optional module if you intend to run Binder under fastcgi."
+    print "Package is typically called 'python-flup.'\n"
+
+if errors:
+    print "Critical missing packages found: %d.\n" % errors
+    sys.exit(errors)
+else:
+    print "All required packages found!"