diff --git a/systemtap-static-probes-in-ruby/runtest.sh b/systemtap-static-probes-in-ruby/runtest.sh
index cfac459..0c727ac 100755
--- a/systemtap-static-probes-in-ruby/runtest.sh
+++ b/systemtap-static-probes-in-ruby/runtest.sh
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ rlJournalStart
         rlAssertExists "${_STAP_FILE}" || rlDie
         rlLog "Using STAP_FILE from $(rpm -qf ${_STAP_FILE})."
         rlRun "stap-prep" 0 "Prepare system for systemtap use"
+        # See the upstream systemtap routine builds when an error happens.
+        # https://builder.sourceware.org/buildbot/#/builders/systemtap-fedrawhide-x86_64
+        rlRun "stap -v -e 'probe begin { exit() }'" 0 \
+            "Checking stap to detect an error not depending on Ruby" || rlDie
         rlRun "TmpDir=\`mktemp -d\`" 0 "Creating tmp directory"
         rlRun "pushd ${TmpDir}"
         _LOG_FILE="${TmpDir}/${_LOG_FILE}"