diff --git a/Shorewall-lite/install.sh b/Shorewall-lite/install.sh
index 5f5c6f992..988859527 100755
--- a/Shorewall-lite/install.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-lite/install.sh
@@ -291,6 +291,9 @@ echo "Default config path file installed as ${PREFIX}/usr/share/shorewall-lite/c
 #
 
 install_file lib.base ${PREFIX}/usr/share/shorewall-lite/lib.base 0444
+
+echo "Common functions installed as ${PREFIX}/usr/share/shorewall-lite/lib.base"
+
 ln -sf lib.base ${PREFIX}/usr/share/shorewall-lite/functions
 
 echo "Common functions linked through ${PREFIX}/usr/share/shorewall-lite/functions"
diff --git a/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite b/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
index d620a0f03..e54fe9fbc 100755
--- a/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
+++ b/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ get_config() {
     export LOGFORMAT
 
     if [ -n "$IPTABLES" ]; then
-	if [ ! -e "$IPTABLES" ]; then
+	if [ ! -x "$IPTABLES" ]; then
 	    echo "   ERROR: The program specified in IPTABLES does not exist or is not executable" >&2
 	    exit 2
 	fi
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ get_config() {
     export IPTABLES
 
     if [ -n "$SHOREWALL_SHELL" ]; then
-	if [ ! -e "$SHOREWALL_SHELL" ]; then
+	if [ ! -x "$SHOREWALL_SHELL" ]; then
 	    echo "   ERROR: The program specified in SHOREWALL_SHELL does not exist or is not executable" >&2
 	    exit 2
 	fi
diff --git a/Shorewall/shorewall b/Shorewall/shorewall
index 46856a6af..01558d29a 100755
--- a/Shorewall/shorewall
+++ b/Shorewall/shorewall
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ get_config() {
 	fi
 
 	if [ -n "$IPTABLES" ]; then
-	    if [ ! -e "$IPTABLES" ]; then
+	    if [ ! -x "$IPTABLES" ]; then
 		echo "   ERROR: The program specified in IPTABLES does not exist or is not executable" >&2
 		exit 2
 	    fi
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ get_config() {
     fi
 
     if [ -n "$SHOREWALL_SHELL" ]; then
-	if [ ! -e "$SHOREWALL_SHELL" ]; then
+	if [ ! -x "$SHOREWALL_SHELL" ]; then
 	    echo "   ERROR: The program specified in SHOREWALL_SHELL does not exist or is not executable" >&2
 	    exit 2
 	fi