diff --git a/brut.apktool/apktool-lib/src/main/java/brut/androlib/res/AndrolibResources.java b/brut.apktool/apktool-lib/src/main/java/brut/androlib/res/AndrolibResources.java
index d974a789..bb8a3c3a 100644
--- a/brut.apktool/apktool-lib/src/main/java/brut/androlib/res/AndrolibResources.java
+++ b/brut.apktool/apktool-lib/src/main/java/brut/androlib/res/AndrolibResources.java
@@ -576,34 +576,16 @@ final public class AndrolibResources {
     public void aaptPackage(File apkFile, File manifest, File resDir, File rawDir, File assetDir, File[] include)
             throws AndrolibException {
 
-        boolean customAapt = false;
         String aaptPath = apkOptions.aaptPath;
+        boolean customAapt = !aaptPath.isEmpty();
         List<String> cmd = new ArrayList<String>();
 
-        // path for aapt binary
-        if (! aaptPath.isEmpty()) {
-            File aaptFile = new File(aaptPath);
-            if (aaptFile.canRead() && aaptFile.exists()) {
-                aaptFile.setExecutable(true);
-                cmd.add(aaptFile.getPath());
-                customAapt = true;
-
-                LOGGER.fine(aaptFile.getPath() + " being used as aapt location.");
-            } else {
-                LOGGER.warning("aapt location could not be found. Defaulting back to default");
-
-                try {
-                    cmd.add(getAaptBinaryFile().getAbsolutePath());
-                } catch (BrutException ignored) {
-                    cmd.add("aapt");
-                }
-            }
-        } else {
-            try {
-                cmd.add(getAaptBinaryFile().getAbsolutePath());
-            } catch (BrutException ignored) {
-                cmd.add("aapt");
-            }
+        try {
+            String aaptCommand = AaptManager.getAaptExecutionCommand(aaptPath, getAaptBinaryFile());
+            cmd.add(aaptCommand);
+        } catch (BrutException ex) {
+            LOGGER.warning("aapt: " + ex.getMessage() + " (defaulting to $PATH binary)");
+            cmd.add(AaptManager.getAaptBinaryName(getAaptVersion()));
         }
 
         if (apkOptions.isAapt2()) {
@@ -979,7 +961,7 @@ final public class AndrolibResources {
 
     private File getAaptBinaryFile() throws AndrolibException {
         try {
-            if (apkOptions.useAapt2 || apkOptions.aaptVersion == 2) {
+            if (getAaptVersion() == 2) {
                 return AaptManager.getAppt2();
             }
             return AaptManager.getAppt1();
@@ -988,6 +970,10 @@ final public class AndrolibResources {
         }
     }
 
+    private int getAaptVersion() {
+        return apkOptions.isAapt2() ? 2 : 1;
+    }
+
     public File getAndroidResourcesFile() throws AndrolibException {
         try {
             return Jar.getResourceAsFile("/brut/androlib/android-framework.jar");
diff --git a/brut.j.util/src/main/java/brut/util/AaptManager.java b/brut.j.util/src/main/java/brut/util/AaptManager.java
index 1559a2d3..129e6361 100644
--- a/brut.j.util/src/main/java/brut/util/AaptManager.java
+++ b/brut.j.util/src/main/java/brut/util/AaptManager.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public class AaptManager {
 
     private static File getAppt(Integer version) throws BrutException {
         File aaptBinary;
-        String aaptVersion = "aapt" + (version == 2 ? "2" : "");
+        String aaptVersion = getAaptBinaryName(version);
 
         if (! OSDetection.is64Bit() && ! OSDetection.isWindows()) {
             throw new BrutException("32 bit OS detected. No 32 bit binaries available.");
@@ -60,10 +60,28 @@ public class AaptManager {
         throw new BrutException("Can't set aapt binary as executable");
     }
 
+    public static String getAaptExecutionCommand(String aaptPath, File aapt) throws BrutException {
+        if (! aaptPath.isEmpty()) {
+            File aaptFile = new File(aaptPath);
+            if (aaptFile.canRead() && aaptFile.exists()) {
+                aaptFile.setExecutable(true);
+                return aaptFile.getPath();
+            } else {
+                throw new BrutException("binary could not be read: " + aaptFile.getAbsolutePath());
+            }
+        } else {
+            return aapt.getAbsolutePath();
+        }
+    }
+
     public static int getAaptVersion(String aaptLocation) throws BrutException {
         return getApptVersion(new File(aaptLocation));
     }
 
+    public static String getAaptBinaryName(Integer version) {
+        return "aapt" + (version == 2 ? "2" : "");
+    }
+
     public static int getApptVersion(File aapt) throws BrutException {
         if (!aapt.isFile()) {
             throw new BrutException("Could not identify aapt binary as executable.");