diff --git a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/extern/ApplicationGHDL.java b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/extern/ApplicationGHDL.java
index 7f2759ec6..5a290e004 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/extern/ApplicationGHDL.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/neemann/digital/core/extern/ApplicationGHDL.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import de.neemann.digital.core.element.Keys;
 import de.neemann.digital.core.extern.handler.ProcessInterface;
 import de.neemann.digital.core.extern.handler.StdIOInterface;
 import de.neemann.digital.gui.Settings;
+import de.neemann.digital.lang.Lang;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -34,10 +35,22 @@ public class ApplicationGHDL extends ApplicationVHDLStdIO {
         } catch (IOException e) {
             if (file != null)
                 ProcessStarter.removeFolder(file.getParentFile());
-            throw e;
+            if (ghdlNotFound(e))
+                throw new IOException(Lang.get("err_ghdlNotInstalled"));
+            else
+                throw e;
         }
     }
 
+    private boolean ghdlNotFound(Throwable e) {
+        while (e != null) {
+            if (e instanceof ProcessStarter.CouldNotStartProcessException)
+                return true;
+            e = e.getCause();
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public boolean checkSupported() {
         return true;
@@ -53,6 +66,11 @@ public class ApplicationGHDL extends ApplicationVHDLStdIO {
             String m1 = ProcessStarter.start(file.getParentFile(), ghdl, "-a", "--ieee=synopsys", file.getName());
             String m2 = ProcessStarter.start(file.getParentFile(), ghdl, "-e", "--ieee=synopsys", "stdIOInterface");
             return ProcessStarter.joinStrings(m1, m2);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            if (ghdlNotFound(e))
+                throw new IOException(Lang.get("err_ghdlNotInstalled"));
+            else
+                throw e;
         } finally {
             if (file != null)
                 ProcessStarter.removeFolder(file.getParentFile());
diff --git a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
index a104f0508..98a294b18 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_de.xml
@@ -880,6 +880,9 @@ Sind evtl. die Namen der Variablen nicht eindeutig?</string>
     <string name="err_ifExternalComponentIsUsedTwiceCodeMustBeIdentical">Wird eine externes Element mehrfach verwendet, muss der Code identisch sein!</string>
     <string name="err_writingToStdOut_O">Konnte nicht auf stdOut schreiben:
         {0}</string>
+    <string name="err_ghdlNotInstalled">
+        Der VHDL Simulator ghdl scheint nicht installiert zu sein. Installieren Sie ghdl (http://ghdl.free.fr/) und versuchen Sie es erneut. Sollte es immer noch Probleme geben, überprüfen Sie den Pfad zur ausfühbaren ghdl-Datei in den Digital-Einstellungen.
+    </string>
 
     <string name="key_AddrBits">Adress-Bits</string><!-- ROM, RAMDualPort, RAMSinglePort, RAMSinglePortSel, EEPROM -->
     <string name="key_AddrBits_tt">Anzahl der Adress-Bits, die verwendet werden.</string>
diff --git a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
index 92569bad6..834e19ffc 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/lang/lang_en.xml
@@ -875,6 +875,9 @@
     <string name="err_ifExternalComponentIsUsedTwiceCodeMustBeIdentical">If an external component is used multiple times, the code must be identical!</string>
     <string name="err_writingToStdOut_O">Could not write to stdOut:
         {0}</string>
+    <string name="err_ghdlNotInstalled">
+        The VHDL simulator ghdl does not seem to be installed. Install ghdl (http://ghdl.free.fr/) and try again. If there are still problems, check the path to the ghdl executable in the Digital settings.
+    </string>
 
     <string name="key_AddrBits">Address Bits</string><!-- ROM, RAMDualPort, RAMSinglePort, RAMSinglePortSel, EEPROM -->
     <string name="key_AddrBits_tt">Number of address bits used.</string>