diff --git a/download_from_google_storage.py b/download_from_google_storage.py
index 98fc5d441c..1cbc8c6eb5 100755
--- a/download_from_google_storage.py
+++ b/download_from_google_storage.py
@@ -488,6 +488,7 @@ def main(args):
   else:
     parser.error('gsutil not found in %s, bad depot_tools checkout?' %
                  GSUTIL_DEFAULT_PATH)
+  gsutil.check_call('version')  # Call this once to ensure it exists.
 
   # Passing in -g/--config will run our copy of GSUtil, then quit.
   if options.config: