diff --git a/build.py b/build.py
index 80fc478d..15c2c727 100755
--- a/build.py
+++ b/build.py
@@ -497,13 +497,14 @@ def getTool(cmdName, version, MD5, envVar, platformBinary):
                 print('       expected          "%s"' % md5)
                 print('       Set %s in the environment to use a local build of %s instead' % (envVar, cmdName))
                 sys.exit(1)
-            try:
-                p = subprocess.Popen([cmd, '--help'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, env=os.environ)
-                p.wait()
-            except OSError, e:
-                print('ERROR: Could not execute %s, got "%s"' % (cmd, e))
-                print('       Set %s in the environment to use a local build of %s instead' % (envVar, cmdName))
-                sys.exit(1)
+            if platformBinary:
+                try:
+                    p = subprocess.Popen([cmd, '--help'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, env=os.environ)
+                    p.wait()
+                except OSError, e:
+                    print('ERROR: Could not execute %s, got "%s"' % (cmd, e))
+                    print('       Set %s in the environment to use a local build of %s instead' % (envVar, cmdName))
+                    sys.exit(1)
             return cmd
             
         msg('Not found.  Attempting to download...')