diff --git a/wifi.py b/wifi.py
index 6f54750..8066af5 100755
--- a/wifi.py
+++ b/wifi.py
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 import subprocess as sp
 import sys
 import argparse
+from shutil import which
 
 
 CFG = {
     "nmcli": {
-        #"device": "",
         "fields": ["ssid", "signal", "security", "chan", "rate", "mode", "bssid"],
     },
     "rfkill": {
@@ -16,8 +16,18 @@ CFG = {
     }
 }
 
-if not CFG["nmcli"]["fields"][0].lower() == "ssid":
-    raise NotImplementedError("ssid must be the first element in fields, will hopefully be fixed in the future")
+def _startup_check():
+    #if not CFG["nmcli"]["fields"][0].lower() == "ssid":
+    #    raise NotImplementedError("ssid must be the first element in fields, will hopefully be fixed in the future")
+
+    binary_depencies = ["nmcli", "rfkill"]
+    gathered_missing = []
+    for binary in binary_depencies:
+        if which(binary) is None:
+            gathered_missing.append(binary)
+    if gathered_missing:
+        raise OSError("missing the following binaries: " + str(gathered_missing).strip("[]"))
+
 
 
 def _split_blocks(text: str) -> list:
@@ -99,8 +109,8 @@ def connect(ssid: str) -> bool:
 
 
 def main():
+    _startup_check()
     try:
-
         ap = argparse.ArgumentParser()
         ap.add_argument("-j", "--json", help="just output current scanned wifi as json", action="store_true")
         args = ap.parse_args()