diff --git a/tests/run_tests.sh b/tests/run_tests.sh
index 9761585..6542700 100755
--- a/tests/run_tests.sh
+++ b/tests/run_tests.sh
@@ -37,9 +37,13 @@
 
 setup_virtualenv() {
     log_info "Setting up Python virtualenv"
+    dependency_check virtualenv
     virtualenv $VENV_DIR
     source ${VENV_DIR}/bin/activate
     python -m pip install salt${PIP_SALT_VERSION}
+    if [[ -f ${CURDIR}/test-requirements.txt ]]; then
+       python -m pip install -r ${CURDIR}/test-requirements.txt
+    fi
 }
 
 setup_mock_bin() {
@@ -145,14 +149,14 @@
         salt_run grains.set 'noservices' False force=True
 
         echo "Checking state ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} ..."
-        salt_run --id=${state_name} state.show_sls ${FORMULA_NAME} || (log_err "Execution of ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} failed"; exit 1)
+        salt_run --id=${state_name} state.show_sls ${FORMULA_NAME} || { log_err "Execution of ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} failed"; exit 1; }
 
         # Check that all files in 'meta' folder can be rendered using any valid pillar
         for meta in `find ${FORMULA_META_DIR} -type f`; do
             meta_name=$(basename ${meta})
             echo "Checking meta ${meta_name} ..."
             salt_run --out=quiet --id=${state_name} cp.get_template ${meta} ${SALT_CACHE_DIR}/${meta_name} \
-              || (log_err "Failed to render meta ${meta} using pillar ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name}"; exit 1)
+              || { log_err "Failed to render meta ${meta} using pillar ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name}"; exit 1; }
             cat ${SALT_CACHE_DIR}/${meta_name}
         done
     done
@@ -161,10 +165,18 @@
 real_run() {
     for pillar in ${PILLARDIR}/*.sls; do
         state_name=$(basename ${pillar%.sls})
-        salt_run --id=${state_name} state.sls ${FORMULA_NAME} || (log_err "Execution of ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} failed"; exit 1)
+        salt_run --id=${state_name} state.sls ${FORMULA_NAME} || { log_err "Execution of ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} failed"; exit 1; }
     done
 }
 
+dependency_check() {
+  local DEPENDENCY_COMMANDS=$*
+
+  for DEPENDENCY_COMMAND in $DEPENDENCY_COMMANDS; do
+    which $DEPENDENCY_COMMAND > /dev/null || ( log_err "Command \"$DEPENDENCY_COMMAND\" can not be found in default path."; exit 1; )
+  done
+}
+
 _atexit() {
     RETVAL=$?
     trap true INT TERM EXIT