diff --git a/dependency-test.sh b/dependency-test.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 102a0b8d..00000000
--- a/dependency-test.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env sh
-
-# Compatible with  bash  dash  zsh   mksh  ksh    ksh93
-# but not with     fish
-# problematic with tcsh  csh
-
-
-br=0 # build required
-bs=0 # build recommended
-bo=0 # build optional
-rr=0 # runtime required
-ro=0 # runtime optional
-pv=0 # python version
-
-
-(hash chmod              2>/dev/null) || (br=1 ; ro=1 ; echo 'Missing chmod, install coreutils [build required + runtime optional]')
-
-(hash gzip               2>/dev/null) || (bo=1 ;        echo 'Missing gzip, install gzip [build optional]')
-(hash makeinfo           2>/dev/null) || (bo=1 ;        echo 'Missing makeinfo, install texinfo [build optional]')
-(hash install-info       2>/dev/null) || (bo=1 ;        echo 'Missing install-info, install info [build optional]')
-
-(hash auto-auto-complete 2>/dev/null) || (bo=1 ;        echo 'Missing auto-auto-complete, install auto-auto-complete>=3 [build optional]')
-
-(hash python             2>/dev/null) || (br=1 ; rr=1 ; echo 'Missing python, install python>=3 [build+runtime required]')
-
-(hash cut 2>/dev/null) && (hash python 2>/dev/null) &&
-    (test ! $(env python --version 2>&1 | cut -d ' ' -f 2 | cut -d '.' -f 1) = 3) && (
-        (hash python3 2>/dev/null) ||
-            (br=1 ; rr=1 ; pv=1 ;                 echo 'Missing python>=3, install python (may be named python3) [build+runtime required]'))
-
-(hash stty               2>/dev/null) || (rr=1 ;        echo 'Missing stty, install coreutils [runtime required]')
-
-(hash ponytool           2>/dev/null) || (ro=1 ;        echo 'Missing ponytool, install util-say [runtime optional]')
-(hash chmod              2>/dev/null) || (rr=1 ;        echo 'Missing chmod, install coreutils [runtime optional]')
-
-( (test $br = 1) || (test $rr = 1) || (test $ro = 1) || (test $pv = 1) ) && echo
-
-(test $br = 1) && echo 'You will not be able to build and install ponysay.'
-(test $rr = 1) && echo 'You will not be able to run ponysay.'
-(test $pv = 1) && echo 'Unable to verify version of python.'
-
-(test $br = 0) && (test $bs = 0) && (test $bo = 0) && (test $rr = 0) && (test $ro = 0) &&
-    echo && echo 'Everything appears to be in order, enjoy ponysay!'
-
-echo
-
diff --git a/setup/dependencies.py b/setup/dependencies.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..79775a66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/setup/dependencies.py
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+dependencies = [
+    ('chmod',              'coreutils',             None,                                  2, 1),
+    ('gzip',               'gzip',                  'compression of manuals',              1, 0),
+    ('makeinfo',           'texinfo',               'compilation of info manual',          1, 0),
+    ('install-info',       'texinfo',               'installation of info manual',         1, 0),
+    ('auto-auto-complete', 'auto-auto-complete>=3', 'compilation of shell tab-completion', 1, 0),
+    ('stty',               'coreutils',             None,                                  0, 2),
+    ('ponytool',           'util-say>=3',           'KMS utilisation and PNG support',     0, 1),
+    (None,                 'python>=3',             None,                                  2, 2)
+]
+
+path = os.environ['PATH'].split(':')
+
+build_required = True
+build_optional = True
+runtime_required = True
+runtime_optional = True
+
+def test(dependency):
+    executable = dependency[0]
+    if executable is None:
+        if sys.version_info.major == 3:
+            return
+        executable = 'python3'
+    for p in path:
+        if len(p) != 0:
+            if os.path.exists((p + '/' + executable).replace('//', '/')):
+                return
+    global build_required, build_optional, runtime_required, runtime_optional
+    requirement = ''
+    if dependency[3] == 2:    build_required = False ; requirement += 'build required + '
+    if dependency[3] == 1:    build_optional = False ; requirement += 'build optional + '
+    if dependency[4] == 2:  runtime_required = False ; requirement += 'runtime required + '
+    if dependency[4] == 1:  runtime_optional = False ; requirement += 'runtime optional + '
+    requirement = requirement[:len(requirement) - 3]
+    print('Missing %s, install %s. [%s]' % (executable, dependency[1], requirement))
+    if dependency[2] is not None:
+        print('  Required for %s.' % dependency[2])
+
+for dependency in dependencies:
+    test(dependency)
+
+rc = 0
+
+if not build_required:
+    print('You will not be able to build and install ponysay.')
+    rc = 1
+elif not build_optional:
+    print('You will have to tweak to installation to build and install ponysay.')
+
+if not runtime_required:
+    print('You will not be able to run ponysay.')
+    rc = 1
+elif not runtime_optional:
+    print('You will be missing some features in ponysay.')
+
+if not (build_required and build_optional and runtime_required and runtime_optional):
+    print('\nEverything appears to be in order, enjoy ponysay!')
+
+exit(rc)
+