diff --git a/sugar/p2p/presence.py b/sugar/p2p/presence.py
index 4c5c086f..d0f6000e 100644
--- a/sugar/p2p/presence.py
+++ b/sugar/p2p/presence.py
@@ -60,7 +60,14 @@ class PresenceDiscovery(object):
 
 #		print "Browsing domain '%s' on %i.%i ..." % (domain, interface, protocol)
     
-		b = dbus.Interface(self.bus.get_object(avahi.DBUS_NAME, self.server.ServiceTypeBrowserNew(interface, protocol, domain, dbus.UInt32(0))),  avahi.DBUS_INTERFACE_SERVICE_TYPE_BROWSER)
+		try:
+			b = dbus.Interface(self.bus.get_object(avahi.DBUS_NAME, self.server.ServiceTypeBrowserNew(interface, protocol, domain, dbus.UInt32(0))),  avahi.DBUS_INTERFACE_SERVICE_TYPE_BROWSER)
+		except dbus.DBusException, exc:
+			str_exc = str(exc)
+			if str_exc.find("The name org.freedesktop.Avahi was not provided by any .service files") >= 0:
+				raise Exception("Avahi does not appear to be running.  '%s'" % str_exc)
+			else:
+				raise exc
 		b.connect_to_signal('ItemNew', self.new_service_type)
 
 		self._service_type_browsers[(interface, protocol, domain)] = b