diff --git a/tests/run_tests.py b/tests/run_tests.py
index a664438c81..fd3317a4d5 100755
--- a/tests/run_tests.py
+++ b/tests/run_tests.py
@@ -26,13 +26,27 @@ parser.add_option('-p', '--print', action="store_true",
                   help="Print out build configurations.")
 (opts, args) = parser.parse_args()
 
-# Compiler paths
+# Default compiler paths
 FC_DEFAULT='gfortran'
 MPI_DIR='/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu'
 HDF5_DIR='/opt/hdf5/1.8.12-gnu'
 PHDF5_DIR='/opt/phdf5/1.8.12-gnu'
 PETSC_DIR='/opt/petsc/3.4.3-gnu'
 
+# Override default compiler paths if environmental vars are found
+if os.environ.has_key('FC_DEFAULT'):
+    FC_DEFAULT = os.environ['FC_DEFAULT']
+    if FC_DEFAULT is not 'gfortran':
+        print('NOTE: Test suite only verifed for gfortran compiler.')
+if os.environ.has_key('MPI_DIR'):
+    MPI_DIR = os.environ['MPI_DIR']
+if os.environ.has_key('HDF5_DIR'):
+    HDF5_DIR = os.environ['HDF5_DIR']
+if os.environ.has_key('PHDF5_DIR'):
+    PHDF5_DIR = os.environ['PHDF5_DIR']
+if os.environ.has_key('PETSC_DIR'):
+    PETSC_DIR = os.environ['PETSC_DIR']
+
 # Define test data structure
 tests = OrderedDict()
 
@@ -124,6 +138,19 @@ class Test(object):
             self.success = False
             self.msg = 'Failed on testing.'
 
+    # Checks to see if file exists in PWD or PATH
+    def check_compiler(self):
+        result = False
+        if os.path.isfile(self.fc):
+            result = True
+        for path in os.environ["PATH"].split(":"):
+            if os.path.isfile(path + "/" + self.fc):
+                result = True
+        if not result: 
+            raise Exception("Compiler path '{0}' does not exist."
+                           .format(self.fc)+
+                           "Please set appropriate environmental variable(s).")
+
 def add_test(name, debug=False, optimize=False, mpi=False, openmp=False,\
              hdf5=False, petsc=False):
     tests.update({name:Test(debug, optimize, mpi, openmp, hdf5, petsc)})
@@ -190,6 +217,9 @@ for test in tests:
     print(test + ' tests')
     print('-'*(len(test) + 6))
 
+    # Verify fortran compiler exists
+    tests[test].check_compiler()
+
     # Run CMAKE to configure build
     tests[test].run_cmake()