diff -r 7f80fb520a0a wutils.py
--- a/wutils.py	Thu Apr 22 14:43:34 2010 -0400
+++ b/wutils.py	Fri Apr 23 11:51:34 2010 +0100
@@ -147,7 +147,20 @@
             except WindowsError, ex:
                 raise Utils.WafError("Command %s raised exception %s" % (argv, ex))
     if retval:
-        raise Utils.WafError("Command %s exited with code %i" % (argv, retval))
+        signame = None
+        if retval < 0: # signal?
+            import signal
+            for name, val in vars(signal).iteritems():
+                if len(name) > 3 and name[:3] == 'SIG' and name[3] != '_':
+                    if val == -retval:
+                        signame = name
+                        break
+        if signame:
+            raise Utils.WafError("Command %s terminated with signal %s."
+                                 " Run it under a debugger to get more information "
+                                 "(./waf --run <program> --command-template=\"gdb --args %%s <args>\")." % (argv, signame))
+        else:
+            raise Utils.WafError("Command %s exited with code %i" % (argv, retval))
     return retval
 
 def get_run_program(program_string, command_template=None):