diff --git a/tasks/install_test_scripts.yml b/tasks/install_test_scripts.yml
index 045594e2e7f64633a3996254059f8373a03304fc..c13ef689b7203acc79a57535410b4cb630b74713 100644
--- a/tasks/install_test_scripts.yml
+++ b/tasks/install_test_scripts.yml
@@ -28,3 +28,9 @@
     # runs the Exit Strategy script to build an emergency database
     - dest: "rosettaExitStrategy/"
       repo: "git@{{ vault_slub_git_repo_fqdn }}:slub-digitalpreservation/rosettaExitStrategy.git"
+
+- name: test if prerequisites for exit strategy script are installed
+  command: "perl -c /usr/local/bin/rosettaExitStrategy/perl/exit_strategy.pl"
+  register: depcheck
+  failed_when: "'syntax OK' not in depcheck.stderr"
+  changed_when: "depcheck.rc != 0"