diff --git a/Source/cmake.cxx b/Source/cmake.cxx
index 3a8e26ef4..0e0cce882 100644
--- a/Source/cmake.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmake.cxx
@@ -778,16 +778,28 @@ int cmake::CMakeCommand(std::vector<std::string>& args)
     else if (args[1] == "chdir" && args.size() >= 4)
       {
       std::string directory = args[2];
+      unsigned pos = 3;
+      if(!cmSystemTools::FileExists(directory.c_str()))
+        {
+        directory += " ";
+        directory += args[3];
+        if(!cmSystemTools::FileExists(directory.c_str()))
+          {
+          cmSystemTools::Error("Directory does not exist for chdir command (try1): ", args[2].c_str());
+          cmSystemTools::Error("Directory does not exist for chdir command (try2): ", directory.c_str());
+          }
+        pos = 4;
+        }
+      
       std::string command = "\"";
-      command += args[3];
+      command += args[pos];
       command += "\"";
-      for (std::string::size_type cc = 4; cc < args.size(); cc ++)
+      for (std::string::size_type cc = pos+1; cc < args.size(); cc ++)
         {
         command += " \"";
         command += args[cc];
         command += "\"";
         }
-
       int retval = 0;
       int timeout = 0;
       if ( cmSystemTools::RunSingleCommand(command.c_str(), 0, &retval, 
diff --git a/Source/cmakemain.cxx b/Source/cmakemain.cxx
index 932aab95f..829d9073d 100644
--- a/Source/cmakemain.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmakemain.cxx
@@ -184,7 +184,9 @@ int do_cmake(int ac, char** av)
       {
       wiz = true;
       }
-    else if (strcmp(av[i], "-E") == 0)
+    // if command has already been set, then
+    // do not eat the -E 
+    else if (!command && strcmp(av[i], "-E") == 0)
       {
       command = true;
       }
diff --git a/Tests/CommandLineTest/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CommandLineTest/CMakeLists.txt
index 624909289..7e3a37869 100644
--- a/Tests/CommandLineTest/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/CommandLineTest/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,24 +2,33 @@ PROJECT(CommandLineTest)
 
 GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(CMAKE_BIN_DIR ${CMAKE_COMMAND} PATH)
 FIND_PROGRAM(DUMP_DOC_EXE NAMES DumpDocumentation PATHS ${CMAKE_BIN_DIR})
+MACRO(EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND CMAKE_ARGS)
+  EXEC_PROGRAM("${CMAKE_COMMAND}" ARGS "${CMAKE_ARGS}" RETURN_VALUE RET)
+  IF(${RET})
+    MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "CMake command failed with arguments \"${CMAKE_ARGS}\"")
+  ENDIF(${RET})
+ENDMACRO(EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND)
 
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "-E chdir ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo \\\"Hello World\\\"\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "-E time \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -N -L ${CommandLineTest_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "-E time \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -N -LA ${CommandLineTest_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "-E time \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -N -LH ${CommandLineTest_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "-E time \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -N -LAH ${CommandLineTest_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--help")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--help-command-list")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--help ADD_EXECUTABLE")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--help-command ADD_EXECUTABLE")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--help-full \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake.txt\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--help-man \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake.man\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--help-html \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake.html\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--copyright \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Copyright.txt\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CMAKE_COMMAND} ARGS "--version \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/version.txt\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("-E chdir ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo \"Hello World\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("-E time \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -N -L ${CommandLineTest_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("-E time \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -N -LA ${CommandLineTest_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("-E time \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -N -LH ${CommandLineTest_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("-E time \"${CMAKE_COMMAND} -N -LAH ${CommandLineTest_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--help")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--help-command-list")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--help ADD_EXECUTABLE")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--help-command ADD_EXECUTABLE")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--help-full \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake.txt\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--help-man \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake.man\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--help-html \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake.html\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--copyright \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Copyright.txt\"")
+EXEC_CMAKE_COMMAND("--version \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/version.txt\"")
 
 IF(DUMP_DOC_EXE)
-  EXEC_PROGRAM(${DUMP_DOC_EXE} ARGS "--all-for-coverage \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/all_for_coverage.txt\"")
+  EXEC_PROGRAM(${DUMP_DOC_EXE} ARGS "--all-for-coverage \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/all_for_coverage.txt\"" RETURN_VALUE RET)
+  IF(${RET})
+    MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "DumpDoc command failed ")
+  ENDIF(${RET})
 ELSE(DUMP_DOC_EXE)
   MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "Cannot find DumpDocumentation executable.")
 ENDIF(DUMP_DOC_EXE)
@@ -28,20 +37,32 @@ ADD_EXECUTABLE(CommandLineTest CommandLineTest.cxx)
 
 GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(CMAKE_COMMAND_PATH "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" PATH)
 SET(CTEST_COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND_PATH}/ctest")
+MACRO(EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND CMAKE_ARGS)
+  EXEC_PROGRAM("${CTEST_COMMAND}" ARGS "${CMAKE_ARGS}" RETURN_VALUE RET)
+  IF(${RET})
+    MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "CTest command failed with arguments \"${CMAKE_ARGS}\"")
+  ENDIF(${RET})
+ENDMACRO(EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND)
+MACRO(EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR DIR CMAKE_ARGS)
+  EXEC_PROGRAM("${CTEST_COMMAND}" "${DIR}" ARGS "${CMAKE_ARGS}" RETURN_VALUE RET)
+  IF(${RET})
+    MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "CTest command failed with arguments \"${CMAKE_ARGS}\"")
+  ENDIF(${RET})
+ENDMACRO(EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR)
 
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.." ARGS "-N")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.." ARGS "-R complex -N")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.." ARGS "-E Simple -N")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.." ARGS "-E Simple -N")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.." ARGS "-N -I -10")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.." ARGS "-N -I 10-")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.." ARGS "-N -I 3,4")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} ARGS "--help")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} ARGS "--copyright")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} ARGS "--help-full \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ctest.txt\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} ARGS "--help-man \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ctest.man\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} ARGS "--help-html \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ctest.html\"")
-EXEC_PROGRAM(${CTEST_COMMAND} ARGS "--version")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.."  "-N")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.."  "-R complex -N")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.."  "-E Simple -N")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.."  "-E Simple -N")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.."  "-N -I -10")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.."  "-N -I 10-")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND_WITH_DIR("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../.."  "-N -I 3,4")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND("--help")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND("--copyright")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND("--help-full \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ctest.txt\"")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND("--help-man \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ctest.man\"")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND("--help-html \"${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ctest.html\"")
+EXEC_CTEST_COMMAND("--version")
 
 IF(THIS_SHOULD_BE_SET)
   MESSAGE(STATUS "***************************")