diff --git a/pisi/actionsapi/get.py b/pisi/actionsapi/get.py
index 00b87164..11185c50 100644
--- a/pisi/actionsapi/get.py
+++ b/pisi/actionsapi/get.py
@@ -14,8 +14,12 @@
 # Standart Python Modules
 import os.path
 
+# PISI Modules
+from pisi.ui import ui
+
 # ActionsAPI Modules
 from variables import glb
+from shelltools import exists_binary
 
 env = glb.env
 dirs = glb.dirs
@@ -86,8 +90,17 @@ def defaultprefixDIR():
 
 # Binutils Variables
 
-def getBinutilsInfo(needed):
-    return '%s-%s' % (HOST(), needed)
+def getBinutilsInfo(util):
+    cross_build_name = '%s-%s' % (HOST(), util)
+    if not exists_binary(cross_build_name):
+        if not exists_binary(util):
+            ui.error('Error: util %s cannot be found' % util)
+        else:
+            ui.debug('Warning: %s does not exist, using plain name %s'
+                     % (cross_build_name, util))
+            return util
+    else:
+        return cross_build_name
 
 def AR():
     return getBinutilsInfo('ar')
diff --git a/pisi/actionsapi/shelltools.py b/pisi/actionsapi/shelltools.py
index 3b5db41d..9424ad4e 100644
--- a/pisi/actionsapi/shelltools.py
+++ b/pisi/actionsapi/shelltools.py
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ def export(key, value):
     os.environ[key] = value
 
 def system(command):
+    ui.debug('executing ' + command)
     p = os.popen(command)
     while 1:
         line = p.readline()
@@ -90,3 +91,12 @@ def system(command):
         ui.debug(line)
 
     return p.close()
+
+def exists_binary(bin):
+    # determine if path has binary
+    from os.path import exists, join
+    path = os.environ['PATH'].split(':')
+    for directory in path:
+        if exists( join(directory, bin) ):
+            return True
+    return False
diff --git a/pisi/cli/pisicli.py b/pisi/cli/pisicli.py
index 4858f619..5ca1ed6c 100644
--- a/pisi/cli/pisicli.py
+++ b/pisi/cli/pisicli.py
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ class PisiCLI(object):
             #if len(parser.rargs)==0:
             #    self.die()
             cmd = args[0]
+            cli = pisi.ui.CLI(options.debug)
+            pisi.ui.ui = cli
+            
         except IndexError:
             self.die()
         except ParserError:
diff --git a/pisi/ui.py b/pisi/ui.py
index a288fbd8..43d3e3bf 100644
--- a/pisi/ui.py
+++ b/pisi/ui.py
@@ -22,15 +22,25 @@ def register(_impl):
 
 # default UI implementation
 class CLI:
-    def __init__(self, debuggy = True):
-        self.showDebug = debuggy
+    def __init__(self, debuggy = False, verbose = False):
+        self.show_debug = debuggy
+        self.show_verbose = verbose
 
-    def info(self, msg):
-        sys.stdout.write(colorize(msg, 'blue'))
+    def set_verbose(self, flag):
+        self.show_verbose = flag
+
+    def set_debug(self, flag):
+        self.show_debug = flag
+
+    def info(self, msg, verbose = False):
+        if verbose and self.show_verbose:
+            sys.stdout.write(colorize(msg, 'blue'))
+        elif not verbose:
+            sys.stdout.write(colorize(msg, 'blue'))
         sys.stdout.flush()
 
     def debug(self, msg):
-        if self.showDebug:
+        if self.show_debug:
             sys.stdout.write(msg)
             sys.stdout.flush()
 
diff --git a/tests/alpha-light.sh b/tests/alpha-light.sh
index 659a1857..1e788657 100755
--- a/tests/alpha-light.sh
+++ b/tests/alpha-light.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 pwd
 PATH=$PATH:.
-set -x
+set -x -e
 pisi-cli build tests/zip/pspec.xml tests/unzip/pspec.xml
 pisi-cli index .
 pisi-cli add-repo repo1 pisi-index.xml