diff --git a/modules/checkers/spell/config.el b/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
index 4578a3f5e..6df7b3c79 100644
--- a/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
+++ b/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
 
 
 (use-package! spell-fu
+  :when (executable-find "aspell")
   :hook (text-mode . spell-fu-mode)
   :init
   (setq spell-fu-directory (concat doom-etc-dir "spell-fu"))
diff --git a/modules/checkers/spell/doctor.el b/modules/checkers/spell/doctor.el
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e35d6517f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/checkers/spell/doctor.el
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+;;; checkers/spell/doctor.el -*- lexical-binding: t; -*-
+
+(unless (executable-find "aspell")
+  (warn! "Couldn't find aspell executable; spell checker will not work"))
+
+(when (featurep! +hunspell)
+  (unless (executable-find "hunspell")
+    (warn! "Couldn't find hunspell executable; spell checker will not work")))