diff --git a/src/sugar/activity/activityfactory.py b/src/sugar/activity/activityfactory.py
index ee0fd921..30fd14b7 100644
--- a/src/sugar/activity/activityfactory.py
+++ b/src/sugar/activity/activityfactory.py
@@ -244,8 +244,12 @@ class ActivityCreationHandler(gobject.GObject):
                               self._handle.object_id,
                               self._handle.uri)
 
+        dev_null = file('/dev/null', 'w')
         environment_dir = None
-        if os.path.exists('/etc/olpc-security'):
+        rainbow_found = subprocess.call(['which', 'rainbow-run'],
+            stdout=dev_null, stderr=dev_null) == 0
+        use_rainbow = rainbow_found and os.path.exists('/etc/olpc-security')
+        if use_rainbow:
             environment_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
             command = ['/usr/bin/sudo', '-E', '--',
                        '/usr/bin/rainbow-run',