diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 0ebeee281..b746504c5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+20060910
+ - (dtucker) [contrib/aix/buildbff.sh] Ensure that perl is available.
+
 20060909
  - (dtucker) [openbsd-compat/bsd-snprintf.c] Add stdarg.h.
  - (dtucker) [contrib/aix/buildbff.sh] Always create privsep user.
@@ -5420,4 +5423,4 @@
    - (djm) Trim deprecated options from INSTALL. Mention UsePAM
    - (djm) Fix quote handling in sftp; Patch from admorten AT umich.edu
 
-$Id: ChangeLog,v 1.4540 2006/09/09 10:41:25 dtucker Exp $
+$Id: ChangeLog,v 1.4541 2006/09/10 03:24:18 dtucker Exp $
diff --git a/contrib/aix/buildbff.sh b/contrib/aix/buildbff.sh
index 03f0d6048..97a7cbbba 100755
--- a/contrib/aix/buildbff.sh
+++ b/contrib/aix/buildbff.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # buildbff.sh: Create AIX SMIT-installable OpenSSH packages
-# $Id: buildbff.sh,v 1.9 2006/09/09 10:34:15 dtucker Exp $
+# $Id: buildbff.sh,v 1.10 2006/09/10 03:24:19 dtucker Exp $
 #
 # Author: Darren Tucker (dtucker at zip dot com dot au)
 # This file is placed in the public domain and comes with absolutely
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ umask 022
 
 startdir=`pwd`
 
+perl -v >/dev/null || (echo perl required; exit 1)
+
 # Path to inventory.sh: same place as buildbff.sh
 if  echo $0 | egrep '^/'
 then