diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index b9c3aa23b..1e0fa0f39 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ opts.AddVariables(
                  '', PathVariable.PathAccept),
     PathVariable('cantera_python_home', 'where to install the python package',
                  '', PathVariable.PathAccept),
-    EnumVariable('matlab_toolbox', '', 'n', ('y', 'n', 'default')),
+    EnumVariable('matlab_toolbox', '', 'default', ('y', 'n', 'default')),
     PathVariable('matlab_cmd', 'Path to the matlab executable',
                  'matlab', PathVariable.PathAccept),
     BoolVariable('f90_interface', 'Build Fortran90 interface?', False),
@@ -154,6 +154,19 @@ if env['python_package'] in ('full','default'):
             warnNoPython = True
             env['python_package'] = 'minimal'
 
+
+if env['matlab_toolbox'] == 'y' and which(env['matlab_cmd']) is None:
+    print """ERROR: Unable to find the Matlab executable '%s'""" % env['matlab_cmd']
+    sys.exit(1)
+elif env['matlab_toolbox'] == 'default':
+    cmd = which(env['matlab_cmd'])
+    if cmd is not None:
+        env['matlab_toolbox'] = 'y'
+        print """INFO: Building the Matlab toolbox using '%s'""" % cmd
+    else:
+        print """INFO: Skipping compilation of the Matlab toolbox. """
+
+
 # **************************************
 # *** Set options needed in config.h ***
 # **************************************
@@ -337,10 +350,18 @@ inst = env.Install('$ct_bindir', pjoin('bin', 'exp3to2.sh'))
 installTargets.extend(inst)
 
 ### Meta-targets ###
-build_cantera = Alias('build', buildTargets)
 build_demos = Alias('demos', demoTargets)
 
-Default(build_cantera)
+def postBuildMessage(target, source, env):
+    print "**************************************************************"
+    print "Compiliation complete. Type '[sudo] scons install' to install."
+    print "**************************************************************"
+
+finish_build = env.Command('finish_build', [], postBuildMessage)
+env.Depends(finish_build, buildTargets)
+build_cantera = Alias('build', finish_build)
+
+Default('build')
 
 def postInstallMessage(target, source, env):
     v = sys.version_info
diff --git a/buildutils.py b/buildutils.py
index 8b439ed0c..ab1b44ffa 100644
--- a/buildutils.py
+++ b/buildutils.py
@@ -102,6 +102,25 @@ def psplit(s):
     return path
 
 
+def which(program):
+    """ Replicates the functionality of the 'which' shell command """
+    import os
+    def is_exe(fpath):
+        return os.path.exists(fpath) and os.access(fpath, os.X_OK)
+
+    fpath, fname = os.path.split(program)
+    if fpath:
+        if is_exe(program):
+            return program
+    else:
+        for path in os.environ["PATH"].split(os.pathsep):
+            exe_file = os.path.join(path, program)
+            if is_exe(exe_file):
+                return exe_file
+
+    return None
+
+
 # This tool adds the builder:
 #
 #   env.RecursiveInstall(target, path)