diff --git a/scheme/last-revision b/scheme/last-revision
index e7ff19b..1c509f5 100644
--- a/scheme/last-revision
+++ b/scheme/last-revision
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1174
+1175
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 0055207..7f9d633 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = ikarus scheme-script
 
-ikarus_SOURCES = ikarus-collect.c ikarus-exec.c ikarus-fasl.c ikarus-flonums.c ikarus-main.c ikarus-numerics.c ikarus-print.c ikarus-runtime.c ikarus-symbol-table.c ikarus-verify-integrity.c ikarus-weak-pairs.c ikarus-winmmap.c ikarus-data.h ikarus-winmmap.h ikarus-enter.s
+ikarus_SOURCES = ikarus-collect.c ikarus-exec.c ikarus-fasl.c ikarus-flonums.c ikarus-main.c ikarus-numerics.c ikarus-print.c ikarus-runtime.c ikarus-symbol-table.c ikarus-verify-integrity.c ikarus-weak-pairs.c ikarus-winmmap.c ikarus-data.h ikarus-winmmap.h ikarus-enter.s cpu_has_sse2.s
 
 scheme_script_SOURCES = scheme-script.c
           
diff --git a/src/Makefile.in b/src/Makefile.in
index 49a3d79..6ba57f4 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/src/Makefile.in
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ am_ikarus_OBJECTS = ikarus-collect.$(OBJEXT) ikarus-exec.$(OBJEXT) \
 	ikarus-print.$(OBJEXT) ikarus-runtime.$(OBJEXT) \
 	ikarus-symbol-table.$(OBJEXT) \
 	ikarus-verify-integrity.$(OBJEXT) ikarus-weak-pairs.$(OBJEXT) \
-	ikarus-winmmap.$(OBJEXT) ikarus-enter.$(OBJEXT)
+	ikarus-winmmap.$(OBJEXT) ikarus-enter.$(OBJEXT) \
+	cpu_has_sse2.$(OBJEXT)
 nodist_ikarus_OBJECTS =
 ikarus_OBJECTS = $(am_ikarus_OBJECTS) $(nodist_ikarus_OBJECTS)
 ikarus_LDADD = $(LDADD)
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ target_os = @target_os@
 target_vendor = @target_vendor@
 top_builddir = @top_builddir@
 top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
-ikarus_SOURCES = ikarus-collect.c ikarus-exec.c ikarus-fasl.c ikarus-flonums.c ikarus-main.c ikarus-numerics.c ikarus-print.c ikarus-runtime.c ikarus-symbol-table.c ikarus-verify-integrity.c ikarus-weak-pairs.c ikarus-winmmap.c ikarus-data.h ikarus-winmmap.h ikarus-enter.s
+ikarus_SOURCES = ikarus-collect.c ikarus-exec.c ikarus-fasl.c ikarus-flonums.c ikarus-main.c ikarus-numerics.c ikarus-print.c ikarus-runtime.c ikarus-symbol-table.c ikarus-verify-integrity.c ikarus-weak-pairs.c ikarus-winmmap.c ikarus-data.h ikarus-winmmap.h ikarus-enter.s cpu_has_sse2.s
 scheme_script_SOURCES = scheme-script.c
 nodist_ikarus_SOURCES = bootfileloc.h
 BUILT_SOURCES = bootfileloc.h
diff --git a/src/cpu_has_sse2.s b/src/cpu_has_sse2.s
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8e31b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cpu_has_sse2.s
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#  Ikarus Scheme -- A compiler for R6RS Scheme.
+#  Copyright (C) 2006,2007  Abdulaziz Ghuloum
+#  
+#  This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+#  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3 as
+#  published by the Free Software Foundation.
+#  
+#  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+#  WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+#  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+#  General Public License for more details.
+#  
+#  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+#  along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+
+.text
+.globl cpu_has_sse2
+.globl _cpu_has_sse2
+
+.align 8
+
+cpu_has_sse2:
+_cpu_has_sse2:
+  # callee-save registers are $ebx, %esi, %edi, %esp, $ebp
+  # cpuid modifies %eax, %ebx, %ecx, %edx
+  # only %ebx needs to be saved/restored
+  push %ebx
+  movl $1, %eax
+  cpuid
+  movl %edx, %eax
+  sarl $26, %eax
+  andl $1, %eax
+  pop %ebx
+  ret
diff --git a/src/ikarus-main.c b/src/ikarus-main.c
index e885182..b60c771 100644
--- a/src/ikarus-main.c
+++ b/src/ikarus-main.c
@@ -127,7 +127,16 @@ file_exists(char* filename){
   return (s == 0);
 }
 
+extern int cpu_has_sse2();
+
 int main(int argc, char** argv){
+  if(! cpu_has_sse2()){
+    fprintf(stderr, "Ikarus Scheme cannot run on your computer because\n");
+    fprintf(stderr, "your CPU does not support the SSE2 instruction set.\n");
+    fprintf(stderr, "Refer to the Ikarus Scheme User's Guide for the\n");
+    fprintf(stderr, "minimum hardware requirements.\n");
+    exit(-1);
+  }
   if(get_option0("-h", argc, argv)){
     ikarus_usage();
     exit(0);