diff --git a/lib/exe.js b/lib/exe.js
index ab8c2c4..e527030 100644
--- a/lib/exe.js
+++ b/lib/exe.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ var async         = require("async"),
     request       = require("request"),
     path          = require("path"),
     fs            = require("fs"),
+    colors        = require('colors'),
     ncp           = require("ncp").ncp,
     ProgressBar   = require("progress"),
     child_process = require("child_process"),
@@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ exports.compile = function (options, complete) {
 						"This indicates a failure in the build process. " +
 						"There is likely additional information above."
 					);
-					throw new Error("The release executable was not built ('" + nodeCompiler.releasePath + "')");
+					process.exit(1);
 				} else {
 					next();
 				}
@@ -423,12 +424,22 @@ function _getNodeCompiler (nodeFileDir, nodeConfigureArgs, nodeMakeArgs, complet
 				version: path.basename(nodeFileDir),
 				releasePath: path.join(dir, "out", "Release", binary),
 				make: function (next) {
-					var cfg = "./configure", configure;
-					if(isPy !== "python") {
-						configure = spawn(isPy, [cfg].concat(nodeConfigureArgs), { cwd: dir });
-					} else {
-						configure = spawn(cfg, nodeConfigureArgs, { cwd: dir });
-					}
+					var cfg = "./configure",
+              configure;
+
+          var conf = [cfg];
+
+          console.log(isPy);
+          console.log(dir);
+
+          if(isPy !== "python") {
+            conf = [conf].concat(nodeConfigureArgs);
+          }
+
+          // should work for all use cases now.
+					configure = spawn(isPy, conf, {
+            cwd: dir.toString('ascii')
+          });
 
 					// local function, move to top eventually
 					function _loop(dir) {
@@ -463,6 +474,29 @@ function _getNodeCompiler (nodeFileDir, nodeConfigureArgs, nodeMakeArgs, complet
 
 					configure.stdout.pipe(process.stdout);
 					configure.stderr.pipe(process.stderr);
+
+          // on error
+          configure.on("error", function(err) {
+            console.log('Error:', err);
+            console.log('');
+            console.log('Details:');
+            console.log('command =', isPy, cfg, conf_args || '');
+            console.log('cwd =', dir);
+
+            var configure_path = path.join(dir, 'configure');
+            var contains_configure = fs.existsSync(configure_path);
+
+            console.log('cwd contains configure,', (contains_configure ? colors.green('yes') : colors.red('no')));
+
+            var configure_size = fs.statSync(configure_path).size;
+
+            console.log('configure is non-zero size,', ((configure_size > 0 ) ? colors.green('yes') : colors.red('no')));
+
+            _log("error", "failed to launch configure.");
+            process.exit(1);
+          });
+
+          // when it's finished
 					configure.on("close", function () {
 						if(isPy !== "python") {
 						  /**
@@ -475,13 +509,24 @@ function _getNodeCompiler (nodeFileDir, nodeConfigureArgs, nodeMakeArgs, complet
 							// loop over depends
 							_loop(dir);
 						}
+
+            if(nodeMakeArgs === undefined) {
+              nodeMakeArgs = [];
+            }
+
 						var platformMake = "make";
 						if (os.platform().match(/bsd$/) != null) {
 							platformMake = "gmake";
 						}
+
 						var make = spawn(platformMake, nodeMakeArgs, { cwd: dir });
 						make.stdout.pipe(process.stdout);
 						make.stderr.pipe(process.stderr);
+            make.on("error", function(err) {
+              console.log(err);
+              _log("error", "failed to run make.");
+              process.exit(1);
+            })
 						make.on("close", function () {
 							next();
 						});
diff --git a/lib/log.js b/lib/log.js
index b46d393..d06a2e0 100644
--- a/lib/log.js
+++ b/lib/log.js
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
  *
  **/
 
+var colors = require('colors');
+
 /**
  * standard output, takes 3 different types.
  * log, error, and warn
@@ -31,8 +33,6 @@
  **/
 function _log () {
 
-  var colors = require('colors');
-
   var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 0),
   level = args.shift();